Lowry denies supporting any mobile licence bid

FORMER Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry told the Moriarty Tribunal yesterday he gave no support to any of the six groups competing for the country’s second mobile phone licence.

Mr Lowry said he had no involvement in the detail of the bid. The competition, he said, was conducted by civil servants who were assisted by consultants from outside the Department of Communications.

Businessman Denis O’Brien’s Esat Digifone consortium was announced as the competition winner in late October 1995. The Persona consortium that came second in the competition is suing the State and, should it win, could seek in excess of €100 million in damages.

Tribunal chairman Mr Justice Michael Moriarty ruled in late September that “it may be reasonable to conclude that there were defects” in the competition and licence awarding process. This was not necessarily evidence of improper interference, he said.

Replying to tribunal lawyer John Coughlan SC yesterday, Mr Lowry said he did not assist or support any of the six competitors that applied for the GSM2 licence in August 1995.

He said the civil service project team had made a unanimous decision in favour of Digifone. In fact, Digifone had been the highest scorer based on the competition criteria.

Mr Lowry said the competition had been conducted in an objective, fair and impartial manner.

And he absolutely refuted having suggested to Mr O’Brien that he get financier Dermot Desmond involved in the Digifone consortium. It had been alleged that Mr Lowry made the suggestion when the two men met by arrangement in a pub after the All-Ireland final in September 1995.

Mr Lowry will continue his testimony next Monday when the tribunal resumes.