Michael Lowry says no charges to be brought by DPP over Moriarty Tribunal

Tribunal was established in 1997 to examine payments made to former taoiseach Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry

Michael Lowry: 'Moriarty Tribunal's findings have allowed me to be subjected to repeated insults, smears and false allegations, with no legal remedy available to me.' File picture: Gareth Chaney/RollingNews.ie

Independent TD Michael Lowry has said the Director of Public Prosecutions has opted not to bring charges against him from the findings of the Moriarty Tribunal.

A Garda spokesperson confirmed to the Irish Examiner that "the office of the DPP has directed no prosecution in respect of this matter".

In a statement, Mr Lowry excoriated the tribunal for its findings, saying they had not been based on “hard facts or admissible evidence, but on conjecture, manipulation, and speculation”.

The tribunal was established in 1997 to examine payments made to former taoiseach Charles Haughey and Mr Lowry, an Independent TD for Tipperary North and former cabinet minister.

The tribunal found that Mr Lowry had an “insidious and pervasive” influence into the awarding of the State’s second mobile phone licence to Esat Digiphone, a company owned by Denis O’Brien.

The report, published in 2011, also found it was “beyond doubt” that Mr Lowry provided information to Mr O’Brien, which assisted him in obtaining the licence.

It also found that Mr Lowry’s efforts to influence a rent review of a building, which was part-owned by Ben Dunne and being leased to Telecom Éireann was “profoundly corrupt, to a degree that was nothing short of breathtaking". 

Mr Lowry has always denied any wrongdoing.

In his statement on Tuesday evening, Mr Lowry claimed the report findings had always been “flawed”.

“Its findings have allowed me to be subjected to repeated insults, smears and false allegations, with no legal remedy available to me. Even though its findings are legally sterile, as the Supreme Court have pronounced, it has deprived me of any ability to defend myself from repeated character assassination and attacks on my reputation.

“The tribunal took 14 years from the start to its final report. The full report was referred to An Garda Siochána for investigation. That investigation took 13 years. The time and complexity of such an investigation is unique.” 

Mr Lowry said he co-operated fully with gardaí during the investigation.

“Despite the unfair and unfounded opinions of the Moriarty Report, there are no charges being brought against me arising from the award of the licence; no charge of corruption, or misfeasance in public office; no charges of personal gain or bribery on my part,” he said.

The tribunal heard its first witnesses in 1999, with a final report published in 2011. Gardaí investigated the findings for 14 years, with a file being sent to the DPP in early 2025.