LEGAL ACTION BY Denis O’Brien against the Houses of the Oireachtas is back in the High Court this morning.
The action was taken by the businessman earlier this year over remarks made in the Dáil under privilege regarding his banking affairs with IBRC.
Justice Nicholas Kearns pushed the case back to this month during the first hearing in July, explaining that the case was “not urgent”.
O’Brien launched the action against the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission, the State, and the Attorney General over remarks made in the Dáil by Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy and Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty.
He is seeking various declarations from the state in connection to these statements.
He contends that those statements decided – in whole or in part – the separate proceedings he and IBRC took against RTÉ concerning their banking relationship and a broadcast the state broadcaster had planned concerning those affairs.
It is also understood O’Brien will argue that permitting Doherty and Murphy’s statements amounts to a breach of his rights under the Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights.
The action was pushed back to today as Justice Kearns said the case couldn’t be heard before the end of the previous court term. Sara Moorehoead SC, who is representing the Oireachtas, said it also required the sanction of the Dáil.
The State had until 21 September to prepare its defence.
With reporting by Cianan Brennan. Comments are closed on this story as it concerns an ongoing legal case.
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