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| Let Irish media report MP's comments, Denis O'Brien lawyers tell court | Let Irish media report MP's comments, Denis O'Brien lawyers tell court |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Irish mobile and media tycoon Denis O’Brien has said he never intended to gag a politician who used parliamentary privilege to make claims about his relationship with a bailed-out bank. | The Irish mobile and media tycoon Denis O’Brien has said he never intended to gag a politician who used parliamentary privilege to make claims about his relationship with a bailed-out bank. |
| On Tuesday, lawyers acting for Ireland’s second richest man told the country’s high court that the Irish Times and broadcaster RTÉ should be allowed to report what Catherine Murphy, an independent TD (MP), said about him last week. | |
| The newspaper and the state broadcaster had gone to court to establish whether parliamentary privilege legally trumped a court order banning the media from reporting details of his bank loans with the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. | The newspaper and the state broadcaster had gone to court to establish whether parliamentary privilege legally trumped a court order banning the media from reporting details of his bank loans with the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation. |
| Related: Irish media seek right to report on Denis O'Brien's ties with IBRC | Related: Irish media seek right to report on Denis O'Brien's ties with IBRC |
| Murphy suggested in the Irish parliament that O’Brien had secured preferential interest rates on loans of about €500m from IBRC, formerly known as Anglo Irish Bank. | Murphy suggested in the Irish parliament that O’Brien had secured preferential interest rates on loans of about €500m from IBRC, formerly known as Anglo Irish Bank. |
| Michael Cush, senior counsel acting for O’Brien, told Justice Donald Binchy that media outlets should be allowed to report Murphy’s comments and he asked the court to vary an order to reflect that. | |
| He said O’Brien intended to take fresh proceedings to ask the courts to establish whether parliamentary privilege did override court orders. | He said O’Brien intended to take fresh proceedings to ask the courts to establish whether parliamentary privilege did override court orders. |
| David Holland, for RTÉ, said it was a “spectacular climbdown” by O’Brien after he had threatened the media. | David Holland, for RTÉ, said it was a “spectacular climbdown” by O’Brien after he had threatened the media. |
| Earlier on Tuesday O’Brien hit back at his critics, saying he had never experienced such venom and hatred as in the past four days, during which politicians including the former attorney general criticised his perceived attempt to gag the media and parliamentarians. | Earlier on Tuesday O’Brien hit back at his critics, saying he had never experienced such venom and hatred as in the past four days, during which politicians including the former attorney general criticised his perceived attempt to gag the media and parliamentarians. |
| O’Brien and the IBRC were granted court orders preventing RTÉ from going ahead with a report on his banking arrangements and the broadcaster voluntarily decided not to report Murphy’s remarks because of a perceived risk that it would breach the order. | O’Brien and the IBRC were granted court orders preventing RTÉ from going ahead with a report on his banking arrangements and the broadcaster voluntarily decided not to report Murphy’s remarks because of a perceived risk that it would breach the order. |
| The judge told assembled counsel and media it had not been his intention that his order would restrict fair reporting and it was entirely understandable for RTÉ to seek clarification. | The judge told assembled counsel and media it had not been his intention that his order would restrict fair reporting and it was entirely understandable for RTÉ to seek clarification. |
| “It’s clear to me that the court can’t make restrictions on the fair reporting of utterances in Dáil Éireann,” Binchy told a packed courtroom, referring to the Irish parliament’s lower house. | |
| Kevin Bakhurst, managing director for RTÉ news and current affairs, said the clarity provided by the judge was “an incredibly important message to send out to members of the Dáil and members of the press in Ireland”. | |
| Last week in a speech to the Irish parliament, Murphy suggested that O’Brien had secured a preferential interest rate of 1.25% on loans of about €500m (£360m) from IBRC. | Last week in a speech to the Irish parliament, Murphy suggested that O’Brien had secured a preferential interest rate of 1.25% on loans of about €500m (£360m) from IBRC. |
| Her speech was reported by the Guardian, the Sunday Times and websites in Ireland, but the Irish Times removed its report of the Murphy speech following a legal letter from O’Brien. | Her speech was reported by the Guardian, the Sunday Times and websites in Ireland, but the Irish Times removed its report of the Murphy speech following a legal letter from O’Brien. |
| Murphy told the Newstalk radio station on Tuesday: “I welcome the clarification, it’s very important. It vindicates the democratic function of the Oireachtas [houses of parliament].” | |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |