The Commercial Court has reserved judgment on a bid by the former Anglo Irish Bank to compel the family of bankrupt businessman Seán Quinn to provide up to €1 million as security for the bank’s costs of discovering documents in the family’s action aimed at avoiding liability for loans of €2.34 billion.

Mr Justice Michael Moriarty also reserved his decision on applications by the bank and the Quinn side for discovery of a range of documents. Patricia Quinn and her five adult children contend they are not liable for €2.34 billion in loans to Quinn companies because the loans were made for the unlawful objective of supporting the bank share price.

Mr Justice Moriarty has heard former Anglo executives refused to answer inquiries from the new management of the bank (now Irish Bank Resolution Corporation). Richard Woodhouse of IBRC said former Anglo chairman Seán FitzPatrick had declined to meet IBRC lawyers. There has been no substantive response to inquiries from former Anglo chief executive David Drumm or Pat Whelan, Anglo’s former head of lending.