Morning briefing: Nyberg to appear at Banking Inquiry

Good morning

The ESRI has waded into the debate on mortgage limits saying the Central Bank may be moving to soon. The think tank also predicts 4.6 per cent growth next year, reports Arthur Beesley.

Things are not looking so rosy in Russia where an emergency interest rate hike failed to stem the slide of the rouble. Add in falling oil prices and things are looking decidedly sticky, writes Dan McLoughlin. We will be watching this story today.

Also today, the long-awaited Banking Inquiry kicks off with Peter Nyberg. We will be there in force and Ciaran Hancock previews it in his column.

In other stories we report on Apple and Amazon backing Microsoft's dispute with the US Government over access to e-mails housed in a data centre in Ireland. We also have details of a new venture from Storyful's first employee, Gavin Sheridan, plus the lowdown on a French drug group that has moved its IP to Ireland.

We have a new chairman of the Revenue Commissioners. Niall Cody will take over from Josephine Feehily in February and hopefully we will in time stop feeling the need to point out that he is the brother of the Kilkenny hurling manager.

Finally, you will be surprised to hear that we outspend Europeans and North Americans at Christmas. Get shopping people. Just eight days left for you to live up to the national stereotype.

Business Editor

John McManus