Fine Gael MEP and ECON member, Brian Hayes, this morning responded to the news that the ECB will not attend the upcoming banking inquiry.
“Clearly this is a grave disappointment given the central role of the ECB in Ireland’s banking collapse. I’ve questioned President Mario Draghi on this matter on two separate occasions in the last four months. On each occasion I was left with a clear impression that the ECB were looking at ways to engage with the Irish banking inquiry.”
“Given President Draghi’s comments that the ECB is accountable to the European Parliament, it is incumbent on us as MEPs to seek a resolution of this stand off by the ECB. I have repeatedly said that the Banking Inquiry under the chairmanship of Ciaran Lynch TD is not a witch hunt but rather a serious attempt to find out what happened.”
“I am already looking at ways how the European Parliament could facilitate ECB cooperation with the Inquiry. President Draghi has previously appeared before the Spanish Parliament in February 2013 and the French National Assembly in June 2013 to defend ECB actions in a number of areas.”
Brian Hayes MEP 