Denis O’Brien (top), his barrister Paul O’Higgins SC  (above) and Tom Lyons, former business editor of The Sunday Business Post

Today.

In the High Court.

Paul O’Higgins SC, for Denis O’Brien, continued to cross-examine the former business editor of the Sunday Business Post Tom Lyons before the former editor of the newspaper Ian Kehoe started to give evidence.

Mr O’Brien is claiming he was defamed by the newspaper on March 15, 2015, when My Lyons and other journalists reported over six pages on an unpublished PwC dossier into Ireland’s banks which had been given to the then Taoiseach Brian Cowen in November 2008.

The newspaper reported that the PwC report revealed 22 men and their associated companies owed Irish banks €25.6billion when the property bubble collapsed.

Mr O’Brien was number ten on the list of 22.

One of Mr O’Brien’s complaints is that he was wrongly “lumped” in with a “gang” of “developer kings”.

This evening, Ann O’Loughlin, in The Irish Examiner, reports:

Mr O’Higgins also played an interview given by Mr Lyons to RTE’s This Week radio programme on March 15th 2015, the day the articles were published.

Mr Lyons denied that showed his attitude in 2015 was that a small group of the biggest bank borrowers had disappeared off “into the sunset” and left the people of Ireland “holding the baby” at the time of the financial crisis in 2008.

He said he made no reference to Mr O’Brien during the interview and had no opportunity to outline what was said in the articles about Mr O’Brien, which was his loans were performing in 2008 and he went on to repay all his debts.

The interviewer had asked him, before beginning to record the interview, not to make any reference to Mr O’Brien because the lawyers had said “not to go near him”, he said.

Articles in newspaper were about Ireland not Denis O’Brien, former editor tells trial (Ann O’Loughlin, The Irish Examiner)

Behold: the Addarmor Bulletproof Cadillac Escalade – a heavily customised version of the SUV beloved of rappers and private security firms brought to you – the nervous oligarch/drugs kingpin – by a company founded by former law enforcement and special-ops professionals.

Inside the ballistic glass and lightweight composite armour-panelled body is a plush interior with two facing rows of seats and a 32-inch retractable flatscreen TV separating the driver and passenger compartments.

Yours for €310,000+, depending on fit and armour options.

uncrate

What does the way you speak say about where you’re from?

Nosy langer.

FIGHT!

The British-Irish Dialect Quiz (New York Times)

Thanks Charles Kranz

This afternoon.

Davitt Road, Drimnagh, Dublin.

Ambulance personnel associated with the PNA (Psychiatric Nurses Association) complete their the second day of strike action. Around 500 ambulance personnel are picketing at locations across the country today, as they demand the HSE to recognise the union of their choice.

Two further strike days are planned, for February 28 and March 1

Sam Boal/RollingNews

Kay Burley

On The Ray D’Arcy Show.

Fergus McCormack writes:

She’s one of Britain’s most formidable broadcasters, Kay Burley joins Ray to talk about her 30 year career as the face of Sky News…

Actor Seána Kerslake and 10-year-old newcomer James Quinn Markey join Ray to talk about their starring roles in the Irish horror movie The Hole in the Ground…

Comedian and actor Katherine Lynch gives Ray the backstage gossip from touring with Menopause the Musical…

In their first Irish TV interview, Offaly brothers and international models, Oisin and Ronan Murphy from Birr, talk to Ray about hurling, appearing in Vogue magazine and walking the catwalks…

And in the aftermath of Dry January, we’ll be hearing about the experiences of people who turned their backs on the booze…

Hic.

The Ray D’Arcy Show at 9.50pm on RTÉ One.

Pic: Sky News

Then Minister for Transport Paschal Donohoe (right) with Theo Cullinane BAM CEO at the N7 Newlands Cross junction upgrade unveiling in 2014

BAM Chief Executive Theo Cullinane said if the board wished to “procure the work in some other way” they will “co-operate with them to facilitate this option”….

…In a statement, the Kildare-based firm said it did not benefit inappropriately from the tender process for the project.

The company said much of the commentary surrounding the tendering process is “based on incomplete and inaccurate information“.

The company has also said it has written to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, requesting him to clarify that comments he made in the Dáil on Tuesday 12  [Low Balls] February were not referring to BAM.

Firm building children’s hospital says board can ‘opt out of contract’ (RTÉ)

Previously: Low Balls

Rollingnews