Government control over the banking sector has increased with the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, instructing all directors of Anglo Irish Bank and its subsidiaries to file and register their private interests under the Ethics in Public Office Act.

The move may mean that if other larger banks like AIB and Bank of Ireland are effectively nationalised, their directors may have to follow suit. The Anglo office holders are effectively being categorised as public servants and the instructions from Lenihan specifically mention their positions in relation to civil service grades.

The chairman of Anglo Irish Bank, Donal O'Connor, and members of his board will have to provide a statement of "registrable interests" to the Standards in Public Office Commission. If no registrable interests exist a so-called "nil" statement is submitted. The order from Lenihan applies to anyone regarded as holding a "designated position". The minister makes reference to over 30 Anglo Irish subsidiaries in his order, including funding vehicles and asset management arms. Anglo will shortly send a full business plan to the Department of Finance, but its move into more mainstream business lending has annoyed other banks in the market.

Other bankers, in private, grumble that Anglo Irish benefits from the security of being entirely nationalised and also offers some of the highest deposit rates in the market.

Anglo was nationalised in January following revelations over directors' loans involving Sean FitzPatrick.