Accountant claims Lowry not involved in Doncaster deal

MICHAEL LOWRY’S accountant told the Moriarty Tribunal yesterday the former Fine Gael cabinet minister had no involvement in the purchase of English Football League club Doncaster Rovers, acquired by family interests of telecoms magnate Denis O’Brien.

Denis O’Connor said he never understood Mr Lowry to have any involvement in the Doncaster property, bought for £4.3 million (€6.4m) on behalf of the O’Brien family through an Isle of Man company in August 1998. It was planned to redevelop the grounds as retail units and relocate the soccer stadium.

Two years earlier Mr Lowry — now Independent TD for Tipperary North — had been Communications Minister when Mr O’Brien’s Esat Digifone consortium won the licence to set up the country’s second mobile phone network.