Denis O’Brien’s action a tribute to his 'self-regard'

A citizen has “no legal remedy whatsoever” for anything said about them in the Houses of the Oireachtas, no matter how serious or damaging they believe it is, the State has told the High Court.

It is “a tribute” to businessman Denis O’Brien’s “self-regard” that he thinks statements by two TDs “which offended him, and which he thinks disclosed his private banking information”, amounts to “a constitutional coup d’etat”, Maurice Collins said.

The Constitution intentionally provides a “zone of immunity” and “closed universe” around “utterances” in the Dáil and Seanad which prevents them being scrutinised by the courts.