The Employment Appeals Tribunal has confirmed that it intends to issue a subpoena compelling Michael Fingleton, the former chief executive of Irish Nationwide, to give evidence in an unfair dismissal case by the former manager of the society's Monaghan branch.
Former manager at Irish Nationwide Building Society Brendan Beggan has claimed that he was unfairly dismissed by the society after selling a property and failing to pay back a mortgage for it.
Mr Beggan told the Employment Appeals Tribunal that former chief executive Michael Fingleton encouraged management and staff to take out loans for property.
Mr Beggan who was manager of the Society's Monaghan branch acknowledged he was part of an inner group of Mr Fingleton's close associates whom he trusted.
He said as a high-profile inter-county footballer Mr Fingleton had wanted him on board.
He said he never had a problem in his relationship with Mr Fingleton until what he called ‘the end game’ when relations became frosty.
He said: ‘We were all terrified of the man and what he was capable of but at the same time we had a mutual respect for each other’.
Mr Beggan said there was a culture that staff supplemented their income. Mr Beggan has been outlining a complex set of property transactions before the Tribunal this morning.
Meanwhile, at 11.50am the tribunal was informed of the formal name change at Nationwide following its merger with Anglo Irish Bank.
