Businessman Denis O’Brien’s bid for court orders requiring Red Flag Consulting to discover documents identifying the client who commissioned it to prepare a dossier on him is a “pure fishing expedition”, lawyers for Red Flag have told the High Court.
Mr Justice Colm Mac Eochaidh reserved his ruling on the discovery application. He said he hopes to give it by the end of this month.
Red Flag has claimed it would suffer “irreparable harm” if ordered to disclose documents to Mr O’Brien revealing the identity of the client. The relationship of confidentiality was crucial to Red Flag’s business and it would suffer “irreparable harm” if that was breached, it also argued.
Mr O’Brien wants the documents in advance of the full hearing of his action against Red Flag, alleging the dossier evidences a conspiracy to damage him.
Senior counsel Michael Collins, for Red Flag, said the discovery application was “a pure fishing expedition” to see what else is out there.
Senior counsel Michael Cush, for Mr O’Brien, said documents must be discovered if relevant to the case and the relevance of the identity of the client was manifest.
