Counsel for Denis O Brien has said will ask for reporting restrictions on his case against RTE. RTE objected. Case to be heard at 2pm.
— Tom Lyons (@TomLyonsBiz) May 12, 2015
Right so.
Denis O’Brien’s injunction bid against RTÉ to get under way (RTÉ)
Previously: Matter Adjourned
The Island of Nauru in the Central Pacific
A spokeswoman for Facebook said: “We believe that restricting access to a free and open internet deprives people of important economic and social opportunities and choices, and hope that access will be restored soon.”
Opposition members of the Nauruan parliament have expressed concern about the censorship in Nauru.
The former president, Sprent Dabwido, said the block was imposed due to “paranoia” about independent media scrutiny on the island nation.
The Facebook ban was directed by the Nauruan government, but was imposed by the nation’s internet provider, Digicel. It came shortly after the general manager’s visa was cancelled and she was replaced by another Digicel staff member.
Ah.
Independent TD for Kildare North Catherine Murphy (top) and James Morrisey, a spokesman for Denis O’Brien.
John Mooney, in yesterday’s Sunday Times, reported how Independent TD Catherine Murphy has received correspondence from Siteserv and Team Denis.
Both urged the Independent TD to leave their business out of her politics.
Mr Mooney reported:
“[Siteserv CEO and chairman Sean Corkery] accused [TD Catherine] Murphy of making “false and misleading comments” that are causing “incalculable damage” to Siteserv’s reputation, business interests, employees and shareholders. He asked her to “cease and desist”.
[Murphy] has also received a letter from James Morrissey, a spokesman for O’Brien, accusing her of using “Dail privilege to voice false and baseless remarks”.
In a special Dail debate on Siteserv last Wednesday night [transcrip at link below], Murphy claimed O’Brien received especially favourable loan terms from IBRC which she described as being “effectively subsidised”. “I would ask you to behave in an honourable fashion and publicly withdraw your comments,” Morrissey said.
In the same article, Mr Mooney reports that Sierra founder Desmond Whyte attempted to buy back Sierra at the time of the sale of Siteserv in March 2012 – as he believed Sierra was in fact propping up its parent company.
“‘We tried to ring Anglo [IBRC] to say we’d buy Sierra back. We would have bought it for €45m. I believed it was worth €70m,’ said Whyte. ‘They wouldn’t return my calls or have anything to do with me. We appointed a consultant to deal with it but he got nowhere. Siteserv should have been broken apart and each of its companies sold off.
Sierra was able to prop up the other companies. Sierra was making lots of money, enough to keep all the rest of the companies going. Sierra was worth €70m alone as far as I was concerned. The profits had slipped a little, but it was a good investment. When I saw it being sold off as if it were a job lot, it was like being stabbed in the heart.'”
Good times.
Fresh Siteserv row for IBRC (John Mooney, Sunday Times, behind paywall)
Previously: Timeline To A Killing
Photocall Ireland
Ballynahinch Lake, Connemara, Co Galway
Meanwhile, in chieftain news.
In 2013, [REDACTED] purchased Ballynahinch Castle Hotel set in 500 acres of Connemara countryside.
The property included a castle ruin in an island on Ballynahinch lake.
Well…
This island was the seat of the Conmaicne Mara and the O’Caodhla before it was taken over by the O’Flaherty in the 12th century. The Martins were granted the land in the 17th century and an extension was erected by ‘Humanity’ Dick Martin to facilitate a gaol in the 18th century.
Concerns have been raised since a scaffold was erected around the island castle in recent weeks and works appear to have begun on the ruins. Local historians, archaeologists and wildlife enthusiasts have expressed serious concerns about this development.
‘It is not clear whether planning permission for the work is necessary, has been sought, approved and what restrictions pertain to that. Galway County Council need to clarify this immediately.
‘It is not clear either whether the National Monuments Service have given their approval for the development and if so what safeguards were requested to maintain the integrity of the site.
‘It is understood that the castle is also in a Special Area of Conservation and that there are a number of protected habitats on the site.
Gulp.
Does Denis O’Brien have permission for works on his Connemara Castle? – Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Féin)
Denis O’Brien
You’ll recall how it emerged yesterday that Denis O’Brien was seeking a High Court injunction against RTÉ to prevent a report being broadcast today.
Well.
The matter has been adjourned until Tuesday, May 12.
The Irish Independent reports:
“Businessman Denis O’Brien’s injunction application against RTE over a proposed broadcast report in relation to his private banking affairs has been adjourned on consent between the parties in the High Court. The court heard RTE has in the meantime undertaken not to broadcast certain matters in the report which was due to go out today (Friday May 1). Mr O’Brien says there is no public interest in details in relation to his confidential private banking arrangements with Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC).”
“Michael Collins SC, for IBRC, said his client had a separate but related case against RTE and he sought permission for that to be before the court on May 12 along with the O’Brien proceedings.”
FIGHT! [REDACTED]
Businessman Denis O’Brien injunction application against RTE adjourned (Irish Independent)
O’Brien’s injunction application adjourned until 12 May (RTE)
Yesterday: Injunct In The Trunk
Timeline To A Killing
Update:
Broadsheet: “Legal Coffee Drinker, what’s it all about?”
Legal Coffee Drinker:“RTÉ agreed the adjournment [until May 12].”
Broadsheet: “But the judge didn’t make any ruling at all.”
LCD: “He didn’t have to.”
Broadsheet:“They caved in?”
LCD: “As per.”
Broadsheet:”Thanks Legal Coffee Drinker.”
LCD: “Don’t mention it.”
Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland
Denis O’Brien
Everyone stay cool.
Too late.
[Barrister] Mr [Michael] Cush handed in two sealed envelopes to the judge [Paul Gilligan], the first of which contained a letter from RTE to Mr O’Brien outlining the fact that work is being carried out by the news department on a report to be broadcast [Tomorrow] Friday, May 1st, but with no time given for when it will go out….
…In the second letter written by Mr O’Brien, it refers to details of particular sums of money representing his indebtedness to Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC) but it is all clearly referable to his personal banking facilities and it is “undoubtedly confidential”, counsel said.
RUN!
Related: A Boy Named Sue
Denis O’Brien
“The consideration for Siteserv Holding Ltd’s acquisition of the Siteserv assets and business from Milliington was €45.4m. This was financed with shareholders’ equity of €12m and loan finance from AIB.
“In the period from June 2012 to April 2013, SHL drew down €32.4m from the bank in loan and overdraft finance and repaid €3m. So effectively O’Brien and his fellow shareholders got control of Siteserv using just €12m of their own cash.”
How Has Siteserv Fared Since Denis O’Brien Took It Over? (Business Plus)
Meanwhile…
“If Michael Noonan is serious about reviewing loan transactions where significant writedowns have occurred, then there should be a similar review of a reasonable sampling of transactions at Nama – as well as AIB, for that matter.”
Mike Aynsley, former CEO of IBRC
Mike Aynsley interview exclusive: “I’m disappointed and outraged” (Tom Lyons, Sunday Business Post)
Yesterday: Timeline To A Killing
The @MoriartyTribun concluded source of Stg£300k was the account of Mr O’Brien.. and Mr Lowry received that sum… pic.twitter.com/EFHfRIrFpS
— Moriarty Tribunal (@MoriartyTribun) April 24, 2015
The Moriarty Tribunal twitter feed. To wit:
Tweets on the Findings of The Moriarty Tribunal of Inquiry – established 31/10/1997 to investigate financial affairs of Michael Lowry and Charles Haughey
Catherine Murphy outside Leinster House this morning.
Update:
I’m thoroughly shocked at the suggestion coming from Dept that an individual who was involved in the #siteserv sale may lead the inquiry.
— Catherine Murphy (@CathMurphyTD) April 23, 2015
GOS writes:
Paper based.
No ability to ask questions or hear from people excluded from process.
To be carried out by KPMG employees – which firm incidently audits a number of Denis O’Brien companies (INM, Communicorp, Beacon). That’ll get to the bottom of it all right.
Earlier:
Ms Murphy tweeted another batch of FOI documents [including one literally unreadably blurry] that appear to further test Michael Noonan’s belief that Siteserv was the best deal for the state.
Earlier: Who Are Those Guys?
Previously: Redactulous