The Oireachtas Finance Committee will meet with the Public Interest Directors at Bank of Ireland and AIB today.

They will question them on their role on the banks' boards as well as on lending policies for small businesses.

The decision by Bank of Ireland to raise its credit card interest rates just days before Christmas will also be discussed.

The move has drawn criticism from both politicians and consumer groups.

Criticism of credit card increase

The Public Interest Directors at the bank Tom Considine and Joe Walsh will be questioned on a number of areas.

The Public Interest Directors at AIB are also due before the Committee today.

Yesterday in the Dail the Taoiseach said he does not like the fact that the credit card hike was announced just days before Christmas while the Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams described it as Bank of Ireland's 'Christmas present' to citizens. 

Chairman of the Committee Ciarán Lynch of Labour says the Directors have yet to face any scrutiny on their roles.