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TAXPAYERS could be facing multi-million euro compensation claims from losing bidders for the state’s second mobile phone licence after the Moriarty Tribunal found that former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry had helped Denis O’Brien’s Esat consortium win the lucrative competition.

A series of findings against Mr Lowry has led to calls for his resignation from the Dáil after the tribunal found he had passed on sensitive information to Mr O’Brien during the licence process in 1995.

The explosive report also heaped pressure on Taoiseach Enda Kenny, after the tribunal criticised Fine Gael for failing to reveal a $50,000 donation it received from the consortium just two months after Esat had won the competition.