Fianna Fáil have accused the government of using the banking inquiry as a political tactic.
The party - who were in power at the time of the banking collapse - said they will fully co-operate with any investigation into the 2008 blanket bank guarantee but said politicians should not be involved in the process.
It is not yet known what body will carry out the inquiry - but it is thought the responsibility may fall to the Oireachtas Finance Committee - which will have no legal powers to force bankers or others involved to co-operate.
Fianna Fáil party spokesperson for jobs, Dara Calleary, said the inquiry should be a legal one rather than a political one.
"What we are saying and what we have been saying all summer is that we want an inquiry that actually gets truth rather than a predetermined political outcome," he said.
"We have suggested a model alongside Leveson in the UK done in public lead by a judge, done independently, with very clear and distinct terms of reference because we want the answers."