Failed mobile bidder tells of Desmond's 'Lowry remark'

A member of one of the failed bidding consortiums for the State's second mobile phone licence has told the Moriarty tribunal that Mr Dermot Desmond told him he "knew exactly who Denis O'Brien would use to get to Michael Lowry".

Mr Tony Boyle, who was at the time was chairman of Persona Digital Telephony Ltd, said Mr Desmond made the remark during a conversation at an Aintree horse race meeting in April, 1995.

The Persona consortium included Motorola, Sigma Wireless, Unisource and ESB International.

In a written statement submitted to the tribunal, Mr Boyle said he had met Mr Desmond at the Grand National race meeting in the private box of race horse owner Mr J.P. McManus.

Mr Desmond confirmed to the tribunal that he had attended the Grand National that year as a guest of Mr McManus but said he had no recollection of meeting Mr Boyle.

He said he is sure that such a conservation Mr Boyle never took place.

Mr Boyle also said in his statement that Mr Desmond claimed Mr O'Brien had asked him to head up the Esat Digifone consortium but that he had declined.

The details of Mr Boyle's testimony were contained in an opening statement read by Senior Counsel for the tribunal Mr John Coughlan.

Mr Coughlan's statement, which is expected to finish tomorrow, is the culmination of more than a year of the tribunal's private investigation into the circumstances surrounding the award of the licence to the Esat Digifone consortium in 1996.

The statement also contained details of a number of Fine Gael fundraising meetings which were attended by Mr O'Brien, one of which took place at the Glenview Hotel in Co Wicklow.

Fine Gael told the tribunal Mr O'Brien or Esat donated £5,000 to the party at the meeting. Mr Lowry is also udnerstood to have attended the fundraiser.