Lowry rejects ‘media trial’ over undisclosed payment

Michael Lowry has said he will not publicly answer questions raised by his undisclosed payment of £248,264 (€284,000) to a land agent who brokered deals probed by the Moriarty Tribunal.

The Independent TD said there had been an “organised, concerted and vicious media campaign” waged against him regarding his finances and the findings of the Tribunal.

Mr Lowry asked the public to examine the motivation for this campaign, ask who was organising it, and establish its incentives.

He said he would deal with authorities, such as the gardaí, if they had questions to ask about the Moriarty Report, but he would not facilitate a trial by media.

“I am not going to persist with a media campaign where you pop up every other day, one or other of you [journalists] putting questions that have already been put,” said Mr Lowry.

He said his constituents had elected him and it was they who would judge him.

“The people of Tipperary who I represent recognise my contribution,” he said.

In response, junior minister Alan Kelly, of the Labour Party, said Mr Lowry was not the only TD for the area, that the payment was not about electoral politics, and that Mr Lowry’s brand was now negatively affecting the area because people did not want to be associated with him.

Mr Lowry spoke on Tipp FM for his first broadcast interview since last month’s revelation that he paid £248,624 to land agent Kevin Phelan.

Several facts relating to this payment directly contradict evidence he supplied to the Moriarty Tribunal.

Mr Lowry told the tribunal he settled his account with Mr Phelan on Apr 22, 2002, for £65,000, via a company called Vineacre — the only payment he made to the agent for projects he was involved in.

He recently confirmed there was a second, larger payment, delivered through a different route.

This payment was made to Mr Phelan six months after the Apr 22 settlement. It was for £248,624 and it was channelled from a Finnish company on behalf of his refrigeration firm in Thurles, Garuda Ltd.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Sinn Féin’s Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Mr Kelly have all called on Mr Lowry to clarify the contradictions in his evidence.

Mr Lowry said he had been the victim of one of the most intrusive inquiries experienced by anybody and suffered “mind-bending harassment” that was “sickeningly intrusive”.