Tribunal hears of Brussels sprouts

A SENIOR civil servant told the Moriarty Tribunal yesterday he was surprised at being able to secure a copy of a confidential EU document within 10 days of it being issued to an Italian government minister.

In the June, 1994, document, Competitions Commissioner Karel Van Miert criticised the Italians for failing to introduce competition to the country’s mobile phone market.

“I now know how easy it is to get stuff,” said Martin Brennan, head of the project team that conducted the competition for Ireland’s second mobile phone licence, won by Esat Digifone in October, 1995.