O’Brien defiant as TD denies files stolen

Billionaire tycoon Denis O’Brien should reveal his business arrangements with IBRC to end an escalating “constitutional crisis” over Dáil privilege, opposition leaders have said.

The call came as Independent TD Catherine Murphy rejected Mr O’Brien’s claim that she had used stolen and altered documents when making allegations about the businessman in the Dáil.

Ms Murphy insisted her sources were solid as she challenged Mr O’Brien to publish his documents if he believed hers were altered and wrong.

With RTÉ and other media organisations in court tomorrow pressing for clearance to report Ms Murphy’s claims, despite a temporary injunction against the broadcaster covering the business arrangements they centre on, the Government again refused calls for an emergency recall of the Dáil.

Branding the situation a “constitutional crisis”, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin insisted that this was not a private, domestic business matter, as it involved IBRC, which he said was effectively a State bank.

Mr Martin said Mr O’Brien should put the information into the public domain and accused him and his team of tactics of “bullying and intimidation” against an elected representative.

On RTÉ radio, Mr Martin told Mr O’Brien’s spokesman: “You should apologise to Deputy Murphy for saying she’s peddling lies, for saying she got information illegally, it is an extraordinary charge, an attempt to bully and intimidate a parliamentarian who is held in high respect.

“One thing you cannot do is silence the national parliament, or silence Dáil deputies, whether you like what they say or not.

“Fear stalks the land in terms of the journalistic landscape. It is a very unhealthy situation in our democracy.”

Mr O’Brien’s spokesman insisted the businessman was acting out of principle as a “private citizen” who is entitled to “privacy in his financial affairs”.

While the spokesman said some of the claims made in the Dáil by Ms Murphy were accurate, he accused her of being in receipt of stolen documents.

“There were documents stolen and they were amended and altered and presented to Catherine Murphy,” he said.

“Most of what she said was untrue, not all of it.

“Catherine Murphy has presented as facts figures that are not correct and made statements that are fundamentally wrong.”

Ms Murphy said she was sure of her sources, and rejected Mr O’Brien’s claims.

“If they say they have other documents that show the documents I have are wrong, then why do they not just produce them and let everyone see,” she told the Irish Examiner.

Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe said it was “unacceptable” that large parts of the Irish media could not report events in the Dail, while foreign media could.

Opposition TDs have called for the attorney general to become involved in the matter.

Mr O’Brien’s spokesman indicated further legal measures would be examined if RTÉ was successful in its court application.

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