Renua Ireland leader Lucinda Creighton has called on Taoiseach Enda Kenny to give a commitment that Independent TD Michael Lowry, if re-elected, will not form part of the next government.
Ms Creighton was speaking as she introduced her private member’s Electoral (Amendment) (Moriarty Tribunal) Bill 2015 which, if accepted, “would implement all the recommendations of the Moriarty tribunal, which despite promises to the contrary, unfortunately have not been implemented by this Government”.
Mr Kenny was in the Dáil chamber as Ms Creighton introduced her Bill but left before she finished speaking.
The Dublin South East TD said it was almost five years since the publication of Mr Justice Moriarty’s report on payments to politicians, including the investigation into the awarding of the State’s second mobile phone licence.
The report found “that it is beyond doubt that Deputy Michael Lowry imparted substantial information to Denis O’Brien which was of ‘significant value and assistance to him in securing the licence’”, she said.
She said there had been a Garda investigation for over three years following the Moriarty tribunal’s findings of suspected criminality in payments to politicians.
“This extraordinarily has not yet led to an investigation file being sent to the DPP,” Ms Creighton said. “No one has been charged and there have been zero consequences for two of the key individuals against whom adverse findings were made.”
Vast wealth
She said Mr O’Brien accumulated a vast amount of wealth in the wake of the granting of the mobile phone licence, and this had brought him enormous access and influence.
“He has stood shoulder to shoulder with you Taoiseach, with the Tánaiste and with the Government at international events,” she told Mr Kenny, while he was in the chamber.
She said “no agency of this State, nor a State bank has shied away from dealing with the man who the Moriarty tribunal found had transferred cash and benefits worth more than €1 million to then minister and now Deputy Michael Lowry, who it is said, helped O’Brien to secure the mobile phone licence”.
Ms Creighton said Mr O’Brien had awarded Mr Lowry’s company the contract for refridgeration maintenance for his Topaz company and this was reported to be worth more than €1 million a year to Mr Lowry and his business.
When Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett intervened to say Ms Creighton could not make allegations like that, she said they were not allegations but facts.
‘Full facts’
Mr Barrett said he was not allowing the deputy to use a private member’s motion to “have a go or a pop at individuals who are not here to answer or until we know the full facts”.
Ms Creighton said this was relevant. Judge Moriarty described the behaviour of Denis O’Brien as “disgraceful and insidious”. She said “there have been no consequences. A file has rested with the DPP for three years.”
“I hope that the Taoiseach will make a very clear commitment to the people of Ireland that no individual named in that report will be invited to make up the numbers to put a government in office after the next election,” she said.
“That’s a very clear statement of intent that could be offered by the Taoiseach. It would show some degree of leadership and would go some way towards rebuilding trust in the political system and rebuilding trust that corrupt payments to politicians will never ever again be tolerated in this country.”
