The chairman of Independent News and Media (IN&M) Sir Anthony O'Reilly does not interfere with editorial policy at any of the group's newspapers, the Moriarty Tribunal heard today.
Under questioning about the front-page editorial which appeared in the Irish Independenton election day 1997, Sir Anthony said neither he or members of the board of IN&M had any input into the decision.
Agreeing that it was "unusual" for an editorial to appear on a front page, Sir Anthony pointed out that Fine Gael, the largest party in the outgoing coalition of the time had increased its Dáil representation after the election. "The front-page editorial appeared to help them," he said.
The editorial, under the headline "payback time", was not motivated by grievances over the issuing of the State's second mobile phone licence or its failure to act against unlicenced television deflector operators, Sir Anthony said.
The editorial in all his newspapers throughout the world, is the view of the editor, Sir Anthony said, adding that he was not the proprietor of IN&M titles but the majority shareholder.
He refuted the suggestion that Independent newspapers was the "focus of hostility" against the then minister for communications, Mr Michael Lowry - who had responsibility for the phone licence award and broadcasting.
Sir Anthony also denied that evidence he has given which conflicts with Mr Lowry's version of events is "motivated by malice".
Describing Mr Lowry as a "charming fellow", Sir Anthony today said he was pleased that Mr Lowry had moved quickly to allow him open Arcon Mine in Co Kilkenny.
Mr Lowry attended the formal opening in 1995, where, Sir Anthony claims, the minister made the comment: "your fellows didn't do too well".
Sir Anthony said he did not understand. Mr Lowry explained that officials from AT&T - part of the Irish Cellular Telehones consortium of which Mr O'Reilly was also a part - had not impressed the department panel awarding the second mobile phone licence.
Cousel for the tribunal, Mr John Coughlan, said the claim is important as it could indicate that the "sealed" aspect of the licence application procedure had been compromised.
Sir Anthony told the tribunal that he had little knowledge of the application and that his main grievance with the Government, which had been expressed on a number of occasions at meetings and by letter, was over unlicenced television deflector operators.
Sir Anthony had a 50 per cent share in Princes' Holdings which had exclusive rights to distribute television channels using the MMDS system. Unlicenced TV deflector companies were damaging his business and by the mid-90s Princes' had recorded losses of £17.5 million with more expected.
His attitude towards the mobile licence was reflected in a letter he sent to the chairman of the winning consortium, Mr Denis O'Brien of Esat Digifone, Sir Anthony said. In the letter put before the tribunal today, he congratulated Mr O'Brien and compared his success to winning an Olympic gold medal.