A new phase of the banking inquiry, that will see former politicians called to give evidence, gets underway this morning.

NAMA executives will give evidence today with the inquiry now to focus on the bank guarantee.

So far the inquiry has been dealing with setting out the economic situation in the run up to the crisis, hearing from experts such as economists.

The so-called NEXUS phase of the inquiry gets underway today with the focus on why the decision was arrived at to bring in the bank guarantee in September 2008.

Between now and September 64 public hearings, involving at least sixty witnesses will be held.

The witnesses will include former politicians such as Brian Cowen and Charlie McCreevy, bankers and the former governor of the central bank.

Today we'll hear from NAMA bosses about how they came to take billions in loans from the major banks.