THE CEO OF Independent News and Media (INM) has broken his silence on an alleged data breach at the company.

Speaking to RTÉ’s Six One, Michael Doorly said he could not comment on the contents of court documents.

An alleged data breach at the company which publishes the Irish Independent, Herald and Sunday World among others has seen the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) – the State’s corporate governance watchdog – apply to the High Court to appoint inspectors to investigate the media group.

Since then, details of the ODCE affidavit have leaked through media outlets, including INM titles.

Doorly was the Company Secretary and Chief Risk Officer at INM previous to taking up the CEO role. However, he said that he was focused on the company’s 815 employees.

He said that he and staff were “working towards” assuring staff about the safety of their data and that of their sources. He repeatedly said that he could not address the allegations and referred questions to the company’s board.

“These matters will be addressed by the board. The management team is focusing on producing quality content for our readers.

“We are focusing on the business.

“We understand that there are allegations made, they will be addressed, the board will address those and the truth will prevail.”

Buckley

Earlier, Leslie Buckley, the former chairman of INM says he is “appalled” that court documents have been leaked.

Today, Buckley released a statement, saying that the leaking of the document was appalling.

“I am appalled at the widespread circulation and sharing of the ODCE’s court document containing the most serious and damaging of allegations relating to my tenure as Chairman of INM plc.

“I believe that due process and fair procedures have been completely and wholly disregarded in this instance.

I have consistently maintained a position of not commenting in the midst of an ongoing statutory process, but on this occasion I am compelled to do so.

I will continue to cooperate fully with the ODCE and will robustly defend my position against each and every allegation.

“I am advised to reserve my position.”

Text messages sent to Buckley, published in the Irish Independent this week, reveal almost 40,000 emails of Joe Webb, former INM Ireland chief executive, may have been sourced during this alleged data interrogation. These emails reportedly go back as far as 1999.

Earlier this week, TheJournal.ie put a number of questions to INM in relation to the number of emails and individuals potentially impacted by this alleged breach. We also asked if there was a contingency plan in place to contact anyone affected by it.