No disciplinary action to be taken by Dail against Gildea

No disciplinary action will be taken by the Dβil against Independent TD, Mr Gildea over his allegations against former Fine Gael Deputy Leader, Mrs Nora Owen and a television cable company.

The Ceann Comhairle, Mr Seamus Pattison ruled yesterday that nothing further could be done because Mr Gildea had withdrawn his charges on the night that they were made.

In the Dβil on November 21st, Mr Gildea alleged that Mrs Owen had ordered garda∅ to harass a television deflector group in Donegal and accepted bribes from Cable Management Ireland.

In a letter dated December 11th to the Clerk of the Dβil, Mr Kieran Coughlan, the Donegal TD confirmed that he had withdrawn the charges against both Mrs Owen and the company.

Last night, Mrs Owen said: "I welcome the fact that he has reiterated his withdrawal, particularly since it looks more studied than his original remarks." The issue has caused difficulties for the Dβil authorities, following a strong letter of complaint from former Cable Management Ireland chief executive, Mr Ray Doyle.

Addressing TDs, the Ceann Comhairle said a letter of complaint from Mr Doyle was "all but read into the record in its entirety", bar sections which made counter-allegations against Mr Gildea.

Mr Doyle remained bitterly unhappy with his treatment last night: "I have not been treated in a fair and proper manner by either the Ceann Comhairle, or Mr Gildea. If the latter had said what he said outside the Dβil he would be chewing on a libel writ right now. The privileged classes in there have discredited themselves once more in the eyes of people like me." He did not accept that he had been given his say because the Leader of Fine Gael, Mr Noonan had read part of his letter of complaint onto the Dβil record.

In the letter, Mr Doyle said Mr Gildea made "shocking and reckless" allegations against him and his former company that caused a "grave wrong and injury".