Michael Lowry says he’s ”fully confident that there is no basis for any liability” with him in relation to the Moriarty Tribunal findings.
It’s in response to reports that Gardai have passed a file on the findings to the DPP.
Tipperary TD Michael Lowry says he was surprised to hear that a file has been sent by Gardai to The Director of Public Prosecutions on the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal.
The Tribunal found that payments had been made to him from Denis O’Brien for the awarding of a mobile phone license to Esat Digifone when Deputy Lowry was the Fine Gael Minister for Communications.
The now Independent TD, who topped the poll in Tipperary North in the recent General Election, says he voluntarily met Gardai last year on their request but there was no suggestion there were or are any charges being contemplated.
He insists that there was no wrongdoing or impropriety attached to the awarding of the GSM license.
In a statement he says he is ”fully confident that there is no basis for any liability” attaching to him arising out of the Tribunal findings.
The full statement is as follows:
”I learnt, with surprise, from newspaper reports this morning that it has been stated that a file has been sent by An Garda Siochana to the DPP arising from findings of the Moriarty Tribunal.
Last year, I received a request for assistance from An Garda Siochana. I freely, voluntarily and willingly met with them on one occasion and was fully cooperative. This was the only engagement or correspondence I had with the gardai over the fourteen years since the report was published.
At no point, on that occasion or since, was it suggested that there were or are any charges being contemplated against me.
I am fully confident that there is no basis for any liability attaching to me.
All those involved, including myself, have steadfastly maintained that there was no wrongdoing or impropriety attached to the award of the GSM licence, some 29 years ago.
The award of the licence was made after a fully fair process, which included experienced members of the civil service and independent professional experts.
Furthermore, the State, through the Chief State Solicitor’s office have consistently and vigorously defended the award of the licence in long drawn out speculative civil cases taken by (just) two of the unsuccessful applicants.”
