It is alleged that as a result benefits extended to Michael Lowry

Michael Lowry

Michael Lowry is an Irish politician. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Tipperary North constituency and continues to enjoy high popularity in his constituency despite being the subject of a criminal investigation resulting from various scandals while in office.-Local government and...

 by Denis O'Brien

Denis O'Brien

Denis O'Brien is an Irish businessman with international connections. An Arts graduate of University College Dublin, O'Brien has received a MBA in corporate finance from Boston College in 1982, and was later given an honorary doctorate by University College Dublin.O'Brien has involvement with...

 that Esat Digifone was given an unfair advantage in the procurement of a mobile phone operator's licence.

The Moriarty Tribunal

Moriarty Tribunal

The Tribunal of Inquiry into certain Payments to Politicians and Related Matters was an Irish Public inquiry established in 1997 into the financial affairs of politicians Charles Haughey and Michael Lowry. It has revealed significant tax evasion by these and other politicians and leading...

found evidence of collusion between Lowry and O'Brien: "There are three significant findings which are largely beyond dispute. They are:

• Denis O’Brien gave substantial sums of money to Fine Gael in order to make friends with people in the party.

This happened at a time when Fine Gael was in government and O’Brien was seeking a government decision in his favour.

• Michael Lowry sought to be involved, to a greater or lesser degree, in the licensing process, seeking information about it on a number of occasions

• Denis O’Brien, or persons close to him, subsequently sought to give large amounts of money to Michael Lowry."