The second and final report of the Moriarty Tribunal has been finally published.
This inquiry was initially established in 1997, to examine the financial affairs of former Taoiseach Charles James ‘Charlie’ Haughey and former Fine Gael Communications Minister and newly elected Tipperary North Constituency Independent TD, Michael Lowry.
Deputy M. Lowry
This newly published final report (For Report click Here) details the investigation into possible links between businessman Denis O’Brien and Michael Lowry.
Ireland’s second mobile phone licence was awarded to Denis O’Brien’s company Digifone in 1995. Mr Lowry was then Communications Minister when the controversial mobile phone licence was granted.
The report states that it is ‘beyond doubt ‘ that Michael Lowry imparted substantive information to Denis O’Brien which was ‘of significant value and assistance to him (Denis O’Brien) in securing the licence.‘
The report refers to Mr Lowry’s ‘cynical and venal abuse of office,‘ his ‘brazen refusal ‘ to acknowledge the ‘impropriety ‘ of his financial arrangements with Mr O’Brien and Mr Ben Dunne, and his ‘contemptuous disregard ‘ for his taxation obligations.
The report is also damning of evidence given by the North Tipp Deputy to the Tribunal, stating that his evidence was ‘formulaic, and entirely inconsistent and at variance with evidence.‘
Deputy Michael Lowry stated in a response, that he totally rejects the tenure of the Moriarty report. “His report is factually wrong and deliberately misleading. Moriarty has outrageously abused the Tribunal’s ability to form opinions which are not substantiated by evidence or fact.”
In a statement following this latest publication Mr Denis O’Brien said, “I wish to state in the most categoric terms, once again, that I never made any payment to Michael Lowry in his capacity as a government minister, as a public representative or as a private citizen. I believe it is unprecedented in the history of this country that a High Court judge would make such fundamental errors which went to the heart of the credibility and integrity of a Tribunal process.”
Fine Gael Taoiseach Enda Kenny has stated, “This is a report that deserves serious analysis and it will get that from this Government.” He said, “This is a matter of grave importance with major implications for the State and for the taxpayer.”
Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dáil a short time ago that members of of his Party would be available to answer questions in the Dáil, regarding any part they played in the awarding of the mobile phone licence to Esat Digiphone, in 1995.
This reports findings now raises profound questions, regarding Mr Michael Lowry’s suitability to remain in public Office.
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