Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis is now resuming in public session and can I ask members and those in the public Gallery to ensure that their mobile devices are switched off. Today, we will focus of the ... or, the focus of the inquiry is on Anglo Irish Bank and IBRC and at this evening's session we will here from Mr. Alan Dukes, former chairman of Anglo and IBRC, and Mr. Mike Aynsley, former chief executive of Anglo-IBRC.

Mr. Alan Dukes was a chairman of IBRC from July 2010 to February 2013, having previously been a public interest director from November 2008 to June 2010. Mr. Dukes is a former leader of Fine Gael and a Government Minister. He was also a former DG of the IEA and chair of the Asia Matters economics institute. Mr. Dukes, you're very welcome before the inquiry this evening.

Mr. Aynsley was chief executive officer at Anglo-IBRC from September 2009 to February 2013. Mr. Aynsley also held a number of senior positions in the financial services and consulting industries over the last 30 years. During his time he has worked with Deloitte Consulting, ANZ Banking Group, National Bank of New Zealand and Security Pacific National Bank Group. And, Mr. Aynsley, you're also welcome before the committee this evening. And, in doing so, if I can maybe just acknowledge your co-operation and assistance with helping the committee with its schedule this evening and our apologies for the delay caused earlier to you.

If I can move onto the formalities, before hearing from the witness, I wish to advise the witness that by virtue ... or, the witnesses ... by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, witnesses are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to this committee. If you are directed by the Chairman to cease giving evidence in relation to a particular matter and you continue to so do, you are entitled thereafter only to a qualified privilege in respect of your evidence. You are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given. I would remind members and those present that there are currently criminal proceedings ongoing and further criminal proceedings are scheduled during the lifetime of the inquiry which overlap with the subject matter of the inquiry. Therefore, the utmost caution should be taken not to prejudice those proceedings. Members of the public are reminded that photography is prohibited in the committee room. To assist the smooth running of the inquiry, we will display certain documents on the screens here in the committee room. For those sitting in the Gallery, these documents will be displayed on the screens to your left and right and members of the public and journalists are reminded that these documents are confidential and they should not publish any of the documents so displayed.

The witnesses have been directed to attend this meeting of the Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis. You have been furnished with booklets of core documents. These are before the committee, will be relied upon in questioning and form part of the evidence of the inquiry. So if I can now ask the clerk to administer the oath to both Mr. Dukes and Mr. Aynsley please.