Ruairi Quinn gives evidence to Moriarty Tribunal

Former Labour Party leader Ruairi Quinn has given evidence to the Moriarty Tribunal about the awarding of Ireland’s second mobile phone licence in 1995.

Mr Quinn, who was Finance Minister in the Rainbow Coalition at the time, said he was surprised at the fact that the licence was awarded to ESAT Digifone as the company’s bid was regarded as the outsider.

Mr Quinn said he would have been kept up to date by his department officials about the progress of the evaluation process, but was unaware of the result of the process until it was disclosed to a meeting of party leaders by then Communications Minister Michael Lowry in October 1995.