O’Brien wants to be added to lawsuit

An application by billionaire businessman Denis O’Brien to be added, as a defendant, to a multi-million-euro legal action against the State, will be heard in the High Court on Oct 9.

Persona, the consortium that finished second to Mr O’Brien’s Esat Digifone in the competition for the country’s second mobile phone licence in 1996, is suing the State and alleging the licence was awarded as a result of deceit and dishonesty.

Mr O’Brien has already stated he wants to be joined as a defendant so that he can defend the case alongside the State which, in separate proceedings, is seeking to have Mr O’Brien and Michael Lowry made liable for damages that might arise from Persona’s case.

Mr Lowry was communications minister in the Rainbow Coalition Government at the time.

Persona’s directors are businessman Tony Boyle and Michael McGinley.

Businessman Declan Ganley, whose organisation Comcast finished sixth in the same licensing competition, is also taking a case against the State.

The State has already failed in a bid to have both cases struck out because of the time lapse since the competition, but the Supreme Court ruled last year that allegations of corruption against a former government minister were too serious to be struck out and should be fully addressed.