Tag Archives: Lowry

90172732Evidently.

The issue involves prima facie evidence that at least one crime may have been committed by serving TD and former government minister, Michael Lowry…

 

…In a proper democracy, the police force and Revenue would investigate the contents of the Lowry Tapes with extreme urgency. Confidence in the criminal justice and tax systems would demand no less. If there is even a whiff of favour towards a member of parliament in a criminal justice matter, then democracy is undermined. And right now, in light of all that is going on, democracy is not in a healthy condition.

…There has been nothing from Enda Kenny to suggest that he takes the tapes issue seriously, or has consulted his Minister for Justice on the matter. Nothing from Alan Shatter to show that he takes his ministerial brief seriously. It would appear that Kenny et al are gambling that the public doesn’t appreciate the seriousness of what is at issue, and intend to keep their heads down until it blows over…

The function of the media in a democracy has also been strained by the Lowry tapes. The Irish Examiner, Irish Times, Newstalk FM and TV3’s Vincent Browne Tonight have all covered the story in a manner befitting its seriousness. However, the national broadcaster has not.”

 

Michael Clifford in today’s Irish Examiner, about apparent inaction by gardaí, Revenue, the government and RTE over The Lowry Tapes.

Lowry and inaction of Gardaí/Revenue (By Michael Clifford, Irish Examiner)

Previously: So RTÉ, Which Is It?

RTÉ and the Lowry Tape

(James Horan/Photocall Ireland)

Lowryx

*tumbleweed*

VinBset

Last night, Vincent Browne played the Michael Lowry tape from his flash new studio.

On the panel were Sam Smyth, Elaine Byrne and Conor Ryan.

Browne, Smyth, and Byrne have all had legal proceedings set against them by Denis O’Brien.

And it is surely only a matter of time before Ryan gets a ‘letter’.

Listen to the expletive-laden Lowry phonecall here (go to 14.10)..

Via Michael Lowry Facebook

 

Meanwhile, in The Irish Examiner

“Speaking on Tipp FM, the North Tipperary poll topper deflected perfectly legitimate questions about the payment by playing the victim card again. He suggested that the public should examine the motivation behind this campaign, ask who was organising it and why.”

“This is the kind of robust self-confidence that has helped Mr Lowry top the poll in North Tipperary at the last four general elections but at the end of the day it’s just empty bluster because the question remains as valid as it ever was despite the diversionary tirade.

A more appropriate — and pressing — question for public consideration might be why the people of North Tipperary seem so very loyal to a tax dodger whose political and business careers have been tainted with suspicion for nearly two decades.”

Previously: WTFgate

The Thicks Plotten

“Denis, Myself and Baldy”

Michael Lowry’s “Worthless Land”

 

Unfortunately, we only caught the last few seconds, in which Mr Lowry told Seamus Martin he’d like to get hold of the tape to check its veracity, before adding:

“As far as I’m concerned all the inquiries and the investigations have been conducted. The report on the Moriarty Tribunal is two years old. It was published, it was put before the Dáil, the Government of the day. And the members of the Oireachtas sent that report to the relevant authorities. So any questions that are being asked, to be asked, in that regard would be dealt with by me, through the appropriate channels.”

Previously: The Thicks Plotten

He Can Only Be Found In Tipperary Star

Does That Not Concern You?

LowryDenis

 

“The agent, Kevin Phelan, got Stg£248,624 from Mr Lowry on Aug 28, 2002, six months after the date their negotiations were supposed to have had been finalised and settled.”

“Six days earlier, Mr Phelan received a separate fee of £150,000 on behalf of Denis O’Brien. This was transferred on Aug 22, 2002, after a dispute was resolved between Mr O’Brien and Mr Phelan over the agent’s role in the Doncaster Rovers project.”

“Under the terms of the O’Brien deal, Mr Phelan was paid outstanding fees and relinquished certain claims to profits.

“But the final point of agreement involved clarification from Mr Phelan that a reference to Mr Lowry in one critical document was not Doncaster-related. This issue arose from a note on 1999 fax discussion and was detailed in tribunal testimony by Denis O’Brien Snr, who handled these negotiations on his son’s behalf.

Mr Lowry, Mr O’Brien Snr and Denis O’Brien Jnr have all denied the former Fine Gael minister had anything to do with the Doncaster project.”

 

Conor Ryan, in today’s Irish Examiner, reporting that Michael Lowry paid Kevin Phelan that £250,000 six days after Mr Phelan, separately, agreed with Denis O’Brien to retract a reference linking Mr Lowry with the Doncaster Rovers project.

*popcorn*

Read more here.

(Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

TippLowryAnd why not – sure isn’t he a local man?

Michael Lowry gave an exclusive interview to the Tipperary Star about that transcribed phone call.

It was published on Wednesday and is now on their website:

Things that may make you go hmm.

 Deputy Lowry said this week, “The Register at the UK Land Registry and company records clearly show that I never had any direct or indirect shareholding or beneficial interest in Doncaster Rovers or it’s associated companies.”

“The Holycross man also confirms that he never had any material or beneficial interest in ‘Glebe Trust” – an entity which owned Westferry – a company which had been set up by Mr Phelan and later sold to [Denis] Mr O’Brien to facilitate the purchase of the Doncaster Rovers site – that site was very recently the subject of a sale agreement in a joint venture with Doncaster Council, involving a sum reported to be in the region of St£10m…”

Hmm.

The Sunday Independent had kept watch at Deputy Lowry’s home in Holycross and at his constituency office in Abbey Road, Thurles on Saturday in a bid to put a series of questions to him. And, attempts had been made through close political allies to contact him in order to arrange an interview.

All of these efforts proved fruitless with the Independent stating that the only place Deputy Lowry could be found was in the pages of The Tipperary Star.”

Hmm.

Lowry Solicitor To Probe Leak Tape (Tipperary Star)

(Pic: Michael Lowry Facebook)