O'Brien critical of inquiry as he denies Lowry payments

BUSINESSMAN DENIS O'Brien made serious criticisms of the Moriarty tribunal yesterday and again said he had not paid any money to former minister for transport, energy and communications Micheal Lowry.

Mr O'Brien, his father Denis O'Brien snr and Mr Lowry all attended the hearing as observers. Mr Lowry was minister for communications at the time Esat Digifone - the consortium founded by Mr O'Brien - won the competition for the State's second mobile phone licence.

Speaking outside the tribunal after economist Dr Peter Bacon had given evidence, Mr O'Brien said evidence has been heard from 65 witnesses over 140 days of inquiry. "Not a single person involved in the process has said Michael Lowry was involved," he said.

"We won the licence fair and square . . . all the evidence is that Michael Lowry did not interfere in any way in the licence process. Today was more of the same evidence."

"Not one person has come in before this tribunal in seven years and said that I paid money to Michael Lowry. Why? Because there is no such evidence. There is no payment. There is no interference in the licence process. Those are the real facts.

Mr Lowry, speaking afterwards, referred to Dr Bacon's evidence that he had not found anything in the documents given to him that indicated interference in the licence competition.

"Another witness has said I as minister had absolutely no involvement . . . or influence," Mr Lowry said. Another witness said his stewardship as minister was "impeccable and beyond reproach".