Mahon rejects legal costs to Century Radio directors

The Mahon Tribunal has rejected a claim by two of the directors of the failed Century Radio Oliver Barry and James Stafford for almost €1m in legal costs.

Oliver Barry had sought over €600,000 in costs while James Stafford sought over €300,000.

Judge Alan Mahon has said that he was refusing the costs as both had obstructed the tribunal.

He said Barry had tried to mislead the tribunal about a £35,000 bribe paid in 1989 to the then Minister for Communications Ray Burke and Stafford had also lied about the payment.

The judge granted former Dublin and City Manager George Redmond legal costs for having to attend eight private meetings of the Gogarty module of the tribunal

However Judge Mahon refused costs relating to other aspects of that module for deliberately trying to obstruct and mislead the inquiry.