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.

Both Mr Lowry and Mr O’Brien have denied there was a business relationship between them linked to the Doncaster project. Mr O’Connor told tribunal lawyer Jerry Healy SC he could not understand how London solicitor Ruth Collard, who acted for the O’Brien interests, came to write a note saying Mr Lowry attended a London meeting at which the Doncaster project was discussed.

The accountant said he always understood Mr Lowry had never met the Doncaster vendors, Ken Richardson and Mark Weaver.

The tribunal heard how Mr O’Connor offered himself as mediator to Denis O’Brien’s father, Denis Senior, to help resolve a dispute over fees claimed by British-based property agent Kevin Phelan, who had introduced the Doncaster project. Mr O’Connor was questioned about his 2001 meeting with Mr Phelan.

The accountant had gone to inspect other north of England properties at Mansfield and Cheadle, in which Mr Lowry was involved, when Mr Phelan drove him to the old Doncaster ground and the club’s new location.

Yesterday, Mr O’Connor said: “If I knew where it was leading, I would have jumped out of the car.”

Mr Healy pointed out that Mr Lowry was involved in the Mansfield project with long-time financial adviser to Denis O’Brien, Aidan Phelan — no relation to Kevin Phelan.

Mr O’Connor replied that when Mr Lowry asked him to give evidence to the tribunal on the Mansfield project he had not known the details of Mr Lowry’s involvement in that project.

The tribunal adjourned until next Tuesday.