Last hurrah by Lowry and O’Brien

EVIDENCE from Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry and businessman Denis O’Brien will bring the curtain down on the Moriarty Tribunal’s extensive probe into the awarding of the country’s second mobile phone licence.

Both key figures will be called to testify when the tribunal resumes after its Easter break. Before adjourning yesterday, Mr Justice Michael Moriarty indicated the present phase of the inquiry was nearing its conclusion.

Since December 2002, the inquiry has concentrated exclusively on the background to the selection of Mr O’Brien’s Esat Digifone consortium when Mr Lowry was minister for communications in the Rainbow Coalition.