Tribunal in extra time to hear from crucial witness

THE Moriarty Tribunal will move into extra time next week in an effort to finish hearing evidence from its crucial final witness.

Mr Justice Michael Moriarty, chairman of the 13-year-old payments-to-politicians probe yesterday ordered more hours for sittings after the High Court rejected an initial attempt to end the involvement of former Justice Minister and Attorney General Michael McDowell.

The ex-Progressive Democrats party leader was controversially called in this week, specifically to question the tribunal’s last witness, Danish consultant Professor Michael Andersen about his part in the 1995 government award of Ireland’s second mobile phone licence to a consortium headed by top telecoms businessman Denis O’Brien.