A date in early 2016 has been set for the trial of four former bank executives accused of conspiring to mislead Anglo Irish Bank investors in relation to transactions of €7.2 billion.
They are Anglo's former finance director Willie McAteer (63), of Greenrath, Tipperary town, Co. Tipperary; John Bowe (50), from Glasnevin in Dublin, who had been head of capital markets at the bank; Denis Casey (54), from Raheny, Dublin, who was chief executive of Irish Life and Permanent (IL&P) until 2009 and Peter Fitzpatrick (61), from Malahide, Dublin, who had been IL&P's former director of finance.
The four men made their first appearance at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court this morning after they were sent forward for trial by the District Court last month.
Solicitor Dara Robinson for John Bowe described the case in court as ''very complex'' with ''massive disclosure'' issues.
Judge Mary-Ellen Ring was asked to hold off on fixing a trial date until October, when the parties may have a better idea as to how long the trial will take.
But the judge said having a trial date would concentrate minds - and after some minutes Monday January 11th 2016 was agreed on a provisional basis.
There will be a preliminary hearing on disclosure on November 24th, but the accused have been excused from attending until 2016.
The four bankers are accused of conspiring to mislead investors by inflating the deposits at Anglo Irish Bank through €7.2 billion worth of transactions between Anglo, Irish Life & Permanent and Irish Life Assurance, from March to September 2008.
