Ganley to sue RTÉ over background exposé

LIBERTAS chairman and millionaire businessman Declan Ganley says he will sue RTÉ over a recent investigative programme exploring his background.

The anti-Lisbon campaigner confirmed yesterday he had consulted with lawyers and is now preparing a legal action against the national broadcaster.

“Following detailed review of RTÉ’s Prime Time programme of November 27, [Mr Ganley’s] legal team have advised that the programme is actionable,” Libertas’s statement said.

“A detailed file is being prepared for what is expected to be a significant and extensive legal action against RTÉ.”

But a spokesperson for RTÉ said the broadcaster fully stood over the programme: “Prime Time has received no communication so far from Mr Ganley or Libertas, and therefore we cannot comment on the matter. But we fully stand over the programme and its contents,” the spokesperson said.

The Prime Time episode was billed as a “special programme on one of the most intriguing figures to emerge in Irish public life in a really long time”.

The programme explored Mr Ganley’s CV and the source of his wealth.

It is the third time in recent weeks Mr Ganley has threatened legal action.

Labour TD Joe Costello and Fine Gael MEP Jim Higgins both received solicitor’s letters following comments they made about him.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the Lisbon treaty will be put to the people for a second time if Ireland gets the reassurances it requires from the EU.

Mr Cowen said he was hopeful the other EU member states will agree to meet Ireland’s conditions at next week’s summit in Brussels.

Today’s meeting with French president Nicholas Sarkozy in Paris, however, could be vital to Mr Cowen’s plan to have the desired additions made to the treaty which was rejected last June.

The Taoiseach has said he hopes to set out what he called “the elements of a solution” to EU leaders at next week’s summit.

“What we are trying to do is to set out what are the issues, what are the conditions, what are the means by which Ireland could consider this issue again,” he said.

It is understood the Taoiseach is trying to gain support for a number of legally binding statements on the issues that prompted voters to reject the treaty — abortion, neutrality and taxation.

He also wants his fellow EU leaders to agree that every country will retain its commissioner.

But he is particularly anxious to ensure Ireland is not under pressure to put the treaty to a second vote until the Government judges the time is right.

Following his meeting in Paris, Mr Cowan will have talks with the commission president Jose Manuel Barroso in the afternoon.