Tánaiste calls on Lowry to resign

Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore said today that Michael Lowry should resign in the wake of yesterday's final report of the Moriarty Tribunal.

"I think he should," said Mr Gilmore.

"I think that a report of this seriousness about any elected person I think that he should consider resigning as a consequence of that report.

"But I am of course mindful of the fact that we just had an election and he's just been re-elected by the people of his own constituency."

The Moriarty report found that Mr Lowry's actions led to the awarding of the State's second mobile phone licence to Esat Digifone led by businessman Denis O'Brien.

However, the former Communications Minister has insisted today that he never received any money from Mr O' Brien, or on his behalf.

He said today that he is "sickened and saddened" by Mr Justice Micheal Moriarty's findings.

The Taoiseach confirmed earlier that the report will now be passed on to the DPP and the Garda Commissioner.