Socialist TD Joe Higgins says his presence on the Banking Inquiry won't prejudice its findings.

It was announced yesterday that the Dublin West TD will replace Independent Stephen Donnelly, who resigned from the inquiry last weekend over the government's move to secure a majority.

Joe Higgins, who has been an outspoken critic of the banking sector, says he couldn't walk away from the chance to interrogate those who were front and centre of the banking crisis.

However, he told Newstalk's Breakfast that his views won't prejudice the inquiry.

Further, he says while he respects Deputy Donnelly's decision to stand down from the inquiry, the move to replace a Labour member on the inquiry with a Fianna Fáil member isn't of consequence since both parties are 'part of the political establishment'.

On allegations that technical group member Clare Daly TD didn't support his nomination to the inquiry, he described his relationship to anyone else in the group as irrelevant.