Now that the national hysteria has subsided about the obscene cost of the Moriarty tribunal – €250m over 14 years to produce a 2,000-page report – some questions and comments are in order.
Mere hours after its release, Denis O’Brien was on the 6pm news challenging its findings and welcoming the sending of the report to the DPP. This is not the behavior of a guilty man.
It has been proven that evidence was ignored in favor of preconceived opinions, which was the match that lit the fuse of opposition to this ill-thought-out process. Yet, if it is proven as some future point “beyond a reasonable doubt” that reputations were deliberately sullied, will the courts or the losing bidders apologise?
Why was the sworn evidence of former Taoiseach John Bruton, two members of the Attorney General’s office, seventeen senior civil servants, a Government minister, an internationally respected Danish consultancy firm plus many, many others not accepted?
These all testified that Michael Lowry had no influence on issuing the telecoms license to O’Brien. In fact, not once in the Moriarty report is the conclusion reached that Esat Digifone did not deserve to win.
To be accused of something is one thing. To be accused when you know you are right is outrageous, and virtually every single one of us would do all in our power to clear our name.
John J May
Tallaght, Dublin 24
