The Finance Minister has warned of the danger of "contamination" of evidence in relation to the leaking of banking evidence.

In a clear warning shot following the leaking of tapes to the Irish Independent Michael Noonan warned people to "stop mucking around in Garda business".

Minister Noonan also rejected criticism from Sinn Féin of former Fine Gael Minister Alan Dukes who was appointed as a 'public interest' director at Anglo Irish Bank, before becoming its Chairman.

"A public interest director has no more or no less legal obligations than other directors of the bank" he told reporters at a financial services event in Dublin.

Earlier the Tánaiste said Alan Dukes and other public interest directors in banks must answer what they did around the banking crisis.

It came after Sinn Féin accused the former Fine Gael leader who became chairman of Anglo Irish Bank of "singing dumb" by not reporting material to the Central Bank.

Yesterday legislation to allow for a banking inquiry was passed by the Dáil by 123 votes to 11.

While on Tuesday, the Finance Minister said he would write to all bailed-out banks and order the preservation of any taped phone calls in the run-up to the bank guarantee in 2008. The Taoiseach also confirmed to the Dáil that recordings similar to the leaked so-called 'Anglo Tapes' do exist in other financial institutions.

Mary-Lou McDonald said Alan Dukes appeared not to have known about the tapes or acted upon them. He was appointed to the board of the bank in December 2008 just before the bank was nationalised.

Deputy McDonald said he had been appointed to the board to ensure the public interest but appeared to have failed in this duty.

Eamon Gilmore says Mr. Dukes and all other public interest directors have to be allowed to explain their roles at a banking inquiry.