Denis O’Brien wants PR firm to identify dossier client

Businessman Denis O’Brien will next week ask the High Court to order the Red Flag consulting firm to identify its client for a dossier of material related to the businessman, most of which he claims is unfavourable to him.

Mr Justice Colm MacEochaidh said he was “surprised” to hear yesterday that Mr O’Brien is not proceeding at this stage with his application — which was for hearing next Tuesday — for inspection of material photographed from devices of Red Flag and its staff.

He was responding to being told by Michael Cush, counsel for Mr O’Brien, the inspection matter could be addressed later via the ordinary discovery process.

The judge said he was “surprised” to be told the inspection application is not proceeding as he gave that an early date because he was told inspection was urgent and because of the issues raised, including privacy rights.

Now he was being told there would be no inspection application and wondered why there should be an early hearing for an order — known as a Norwich Pharmaceutical order — directing identification of the client, the judge said. Such an application could be heard any time and court dates are “very scarce”.