The Dáil technical group will meet tomorrow afternoon to decide whether or not to select a new member of the banking inquiry.

The group's original nominee Stephen Donnelly announced at the weekend he was quitting the investigation.

Socialist TD Joe Higgins is the likely replacement, if the group decides to name a new member.

Mr Higgins was very critical of the Coalition’s behaviour in relation to the inquiry. “The Government has made a complete hames of this. It wants to use this as a political weapon to damage Fianna Fail coming up to a general election,” he said.

However, he said the “key benefit” for the public would be for the main political and banking figures to be put “in front of the people and let the people make up their own minds”.

The technical group is composed of small party TDs and Independents who came together to secure speaking rights. The group is entitled to challenge the Taoiseach during Leaders’ Questions, with each member free to support or oppose the government as they please.