1972: After qualifying as a medical doctor, Dr Edmund Farrell joins the Irish Permanent becoming a director two years later.

1975: Dr Farrell succeeds his father as managing director. He buys Grasmere at Westminster Road, Foxrock, taking out a £43,000 mortgage on the property.

1981: Dr Farrell takes out a second mortgage on Grasmere for £70,000.

1983: Dr Farrell takes out a third mortgage on the property for £95,000.

1987: Irish Permanent approves the acquisition of Dr Farrell's home for £275,000 and leases it to him for £17,500 annually. All three mortgages on the property are paid off three weeks after the society takes ownership.

1989: Renovations begin on Grasmere which eventually cost more than £400,000.

1991: Dr Farrell receives a £300,000 "golden handcuffs" payment - an incentive for him to remain with the company - and the board approves the sale of the house back to him for £275,000.

1993: January: Roy Douglas becomes chief executive as Dr Farrell is made executive chairman. Brokers are appointed to advise on a flotation.

March 10th: Irish Permanent issues a statement - Dr Farrell is suspended from "executive office" while transactions concerning his home are investigated.

March 18th: Irish Permanent reports pre-tax profits of £19.7 million for 1992.

April 1st: Dr Farrell fails to get a High Court injunction stopping the board from meeting to discuss his removal.

April 19th: Dr Farrell is removed as chairman.

April 29th: The society's chairman, Mr John Bourke, accuses his predecessor of "abuse of office and betrayal of trust".

May, 1993: Irish Permanent issues proceedings against Dr Farrell seeking the return of about £1.3 million which, it claims, he owes the society. Dr Farrell subsequently issues a counter-claim seeking £4.5 million including damages for breach of contract.

February, 1994: Staff at the society's headquarters in Dublin are told that the premises is to be referred to as "56 to 59 St Stephen's Green", and not "Edmund Farrell House", the name given to the building after Dr Farrell's late father.

March, 1994: Shareholders vote for the Irish Permanent to be converted into a bank, and it is quoted on the Dublin and London stock exchanges the following October.

February, 1996: Irish Permanent begins High Court proceedings, alleging a conspiracy to defraud it of £100,000 with the purpose of enabling its former managing director, Dr Farrell, to buy a property in Oughterard, Co Galway. November 18th, 1997: High Court hearing of actions by the Irish Permanent against Dr Farrell and other defendants and counter-claims by them against the society begins.