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MICHAEL LOWRY has refused to comment on whether the conversation with property scout Kevin Phelan, revealed in the Sunday Independent last month, is genuine.
The Tipperary North TD says he cannot say whether the report of the taped conversation – in which Lowry reportedly refers to a payment of £250,000 made to Phelan – was accurate, as he did not have a copy of the tape.
Lowry said he had been unable to get a copy from the Sunday Independent, which first reported the conversation two weeks ago, because the newspaper had cited journalistic privilege in protecting its materials.
He told Tipp FM’s ‘Tipp Today’ programme that his legal team had been “in contact to establish the legalities involved in secretly intercepting an alleged telephone conversation,” and whether it was lawful to publish a transcript of a “tapped” conversation.
The Sunday Independent, which published a full transcript of its tape at the time, reported that it had asked a professional sound engineer to examine whether its recording had been tampered with, and that there was “no evidence” of any tampering or interference.
It also said the voices of Lowry and Phelan were “clearly identifiable”.
In the following week’s paper, Kevin Phelan – who had acted as a property scout for Lowry – acknowledged that he was the source of the tape obtained by the Sunday Independent.
The Sunday Independent transcript of the recording claimed that Lowry had pleaded with Phelan not to reveal a payment of £250,000 made to him, as he had “never declared it”.
In a statement released that evening, however, Lowry said the payment had been “properly recorded and accounted for” on the books of one of his companies.
The payment was particularly important because Lowry had told the Moriarty Tribunal of payments to Phelan worth £65,000, and said this was the “only payment” he had made to Phelan.
Today Lowry declined to answer further questions about the tape, insisting instead that records provided to the Moriarty Tribunal had outlined where “every penny” of his money had been spent and distributed.
“How would I know whether it’s me,” he said referring to the transcript, “when the [Sunday] Independent has refused to hand over the tape to me?”
Lowry consistently avoid questions about whether he had any recollection of the conversation.
“Sections of the media are running an organised, concerted and vicious media campaign,” he claimed. “For some people in the media, the ‘topple Lowry’ campaign has become an absolute obsession.
“For 17 years I have been the subject of intense scrutiny… no individual in the history of the country has been subjected to the same level of inquiry as I have been subjected to.
“For 17 years it has been constant, it has been ever-present, it has been mind-bending harassment [...] To be blunt with you, it has been sickeningly intrusive.”
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Yep, it’s a bit like having a temp tax since 2008. Embarrassing and costly to the Irish worker.
@did you every wonder: exactly my filthy city friend..I hate this usc, what a scam it is.
@did you every wonder: Indeed, the last three/ four governments in Ireland have consecutively and collectively been terrible. Time for change.
@Mr Inbetween: and who would that be?
@Mark Fox: A functional government unlike the current crop and their predecessors, not FFG who need to spend a term or two in opposition.
@did you every wonder: “Lessons must be and will be learned” That song; ” Until the next time” Our Govt officials are very slow learners.
@Patrick MC Dermott: We need a computer whizz-kid to devise an algorithm on running a country, then we can wave bye bye to politicians!
@did you every wonder: Hey but they’re gonna reduce the USC charge next budget…that’s good of them isn’t it…what nice people they are…FFS..When are people goin to wake up…We elect them…we pay them…Just saying.
@Mark Fox: ah…so let’s just stick with the crap we have cause you have some cooked up notions about the opposition parties!
@Patrick MC Dermott: it’s unreal that they already said ” lessons will be learned “. Some fooking joke!!
There will be an investigation into this, costing the money that they are getting back and that will be the result, “lessons will be learned “.
@Patrick MC Dermott: same with RTE
@did you every wonder: are you living or from Manchester?
@Mr Inbetween: the last three/four governments are in the main the same parties as the last thirty-four governments so I don’t think you’re going to find ‘change’ any time soon…………..
@Mr Inbetween: And where will you find that?
@John Moylan: Spot on
Who signed it off?
@Eddie Garvey: OPW
Ultimate responsibility lies with minister for finance imo
@Pat Hazzard: who in opw?
@Eddie Garvey: Office of Public Works
@Darth O’Leary: No, it doesn’t. the MoF doesn’t deal with spending, that’s the Minister for Public Expenditure. And even then, a project of this size would be entirely managed and signed off within the OPW. It is the OPW that set the tender guidelines, the OPW that reviewed the submissions, the OPW that decided to award a contract of that ridiculous value, and the OPW that should justify why a project like this cost so much (and delivered so little).
@stu nolan: Correct. Public expenditure. Senior moment at 41
@Pat Hazzard: No it was OGP
@Darth O’Leary: That’s where you’re wrong. It will be laid at the feet of a lowly paid secretary who wasn’t up to speed with job description. He/she will be relocated and we all will move on. Job done.
@Patrick MC Dermott: Sounds about right
@Darth O’Leary: minister for public expenditure more like as this was public spending. Finance collects and allocates the money. Either way a lower grade clerical officer will get the flak
@Pat Hazzard: They have the most corrupt management I have ever come across here in the west.. There are ongoing cases being covered up and all sides in cohoots. Their union and HR are no benefit and everything is covered up with paperwork and technicalities. Nothing will come of this.. The person/people responsible will never be named and punished with a nice cushy work from home post.. while management, HR and Siptu sit in their yellow belly hands and do nothing!! This is only the tip of the iceberg!!
Sure going by the very limited reports, good ould pascal’s buddy knee deep in the mire of the bike shelter process. Leave no ‘stone’ unturned here. Pascal should fall on his sword here tbh
@James Brennan: look into the sisk buyout of the company who won the government contract for such works and it will become clearer, going by reported stories. I am not saying it’s underhand at all. But interesting food for thought of it’s true
I can see a dee forbes type of sick note happening
@Sean: Is Pascal sick?
@Sean: Must be a lot of them sick, only 45 TD’s in the Dail chamber on the opening day, 45 ! Four showed up late, including the Labour leader & a no show by the Tanaiste. They couldn’t be bothered to listen to the “outrage” of the Ceann Comhairle about the bike shed or the plight of Harvey Sheratt, the boy with Scoliosis. That is how much contempt they have for the people, the majority of them couldn’t be arsed to show up for work.
How about inviting the Minister for the OPW along and ask him a few simple questions
@David Murray: both ministers should be questioned in the dail
@David Murray: was that patrick O Donovan at the time -A right slippery sneaky individual.
@David Murray: Yes, they should act like the CEO of a private company would act if s/he found out that a gross overspend happened in one of their departments. It won’t happen. Permanent, pensionable jobs, no blame, no shame, no accountability. It’s not good enough. It really isn’t. A left leaning administration will definitely not solve it. I think an example should be made of whoever signed off.
Media – do your job . We don’t need to hear from the ceann Comhairle. We need to hear from the line minister . Pascal donohue – cabinet minister for public expenditure. The clue is in his title. 2 very easy questions. What politician / civil servant approved the spend? What contracting firm did the work and got paid the 320k plus of overall 330k plus bill. Massive public interest in these questions but media in pockets of the cabinet as usual .
@TheUnrepresented: POD.
The government dipped in to all or private pensions when the banks needed us to bail them out. Not once but twice. . When are we going to have our hard earned pension back ? I bet this showers pensions weren’t effected.
Paschal could be challenging Dee Forbes for the current title of National Hide n’ Seek champion.
The profound embarrassment is getting caught. How many more projects (apart from NCH and IBB) are religiously priced.
Can we see a photo of the Farmleigh €29k bike stand that doesn’t even have a roof.
OMG…Lessons will be learned!!!…ah well, that’s ok then
He’s 100% right in all he said..but could have added accountability needs to be taken..
@Will Q: what he sould have said, a criminal investigation is needed , as to explain why one company won a tender (not really) and used at least 3 companies to do the job!!!
It will be interesting what spin will be put on this outrageous waste of public money. Will heads roll. I doubt it.
@Anne: We the people have the power at the ballot box
Bam. Bam. The job is done, and so is the taxpayer.
Ah here we go again How many more times will we read/be told “lessons must be and will be learned, and there cannot be repeat of such unwarranted and indefensible expenditure of taxpayers’ money”
Yea right…until the next time!
Nothing will happen, then off to the bar to meet the families, and a good laugh at the little people.What a great little country.
Now Now,finger wagging, and off to the Dail bar for some guffawing.
Why doesn’t he question the cost of the children’s hospital, almost 5 times original cost
@andy murphy: we could have built a bigger Burj Khalifa, with change…….
We’re a country of spoofers. Nothing will happen, they’ll talk about it and sweep it under the carpet as usual.
@Quinny: respect.
I dont know if this job goes out for tender but if so 1)When were tenders for the work advertised.2)How many tenders were received? 3)Who eventually won the tender.4)What was the difference between the lowest and costly tender..
Who got the contract ? Did they not put up posters for a certain individual that was public before
This stinks, lessons will not be learned, a full refund should be given. No investigation needed. Just more wasted money.
OPW legal team unite!
No accountability, we have tribunals, RTÉ scandal, investigations by outside auditors and yet these things still happen? Tax payers left footing bill.
Oh look. More lessons to be learned.
@Melanie Keane: to be fair they’re saying they are to be learned doesn’t mean they ever will be though.
Lessons will be learned so nothing to see here!!
More of the lessons will be learned rubbish, demand a refund on behalf of the tax payer, why they can even have the shelter back, I read another company can do the job for 20,000.
Only in Ireland Healy Rae craic Andy Capp and jesters.
Wonder will he cycle in?
They are only returning to the Dail today, the Ceann Comhairle opening the Dail with a faux outrage about the Bike Shed, with him & all around him responsible. It’s all deflection, every TD in Govt now repeats the news of the day, but it’s a three card trick, to appear as if they are outraged like ordinary people, when in fact they are in charge & responsible, it’s happening on their watch. Sean O Fearghail should resign along with his Govt partners for failure & incompetence, people are tiring of listening to the same auld shite, of outrage & lessons learned.
@SV3tN8M4: well said John
@SV3tN8M4: why the feck should Sean O’Feargail, the Ceann Comhairle, resign?
We condemn what we have done. We condemn what we will do in the future which is precisely what we did in the past. We condemn this statement so we will not have to condemn it in the future. Now get back to work.
Dont forget to vote them back come election time. Country is a mess. No future here for young people or 40 something s year old s like self.
Lessons must be learned. Always with the lessons.
“Systems failure” “lessons will be learned” . Absolutely stinks of corruption
@Rover: are you for real OFearaíl?
This is truly hilarious. The Chief Bottle Washer comes down strongly on the side of The Taxpayer, and delivers a meaningless diatribe which serves to achieve nothing other than to maybe convince some voters that it was all a freak occurrence and that there’s no need to take their votes elsewhere. After a century of running a country, how can anyone seriously talk about still being in the learning process? A big-mouthed buffoon and nothing else.
“Lessons must be and will be learned…” there’s a familiar ring to those words!
That’s great but will anyone actually answer for this and not just apologise and say ‘lessons learned’
Nearly 3 billion on a hospital that was built in the wrong place a bike shed for a third of a million migration uncontrolled homeless and access to health and yet a sizeable percentage of irish citizens are so frightened of change they will keep ffg in power
Thankfully those posts using the shameful treatment of kids with scoliosis in this country as a stick to bash immigrants have been deleted
@Kevin Kerr: Yea thank god Kevin, facts can be very hurty
@Freda Peeple: they’re not facts though, are they? Government treatment of kids with scoliosis is shameful, government assistance in medical treatment of kids from war torn countries is a good thing. One is not being done at the expense of the other. You would only think that one is being done at the expense of the other if you had an anti migrant agenda, like you have
@Kevin Kerr: It is facts Kevin darling, we have kids abandoned here for years doubled over in pain, some will never recover. 900k plus people on waiting lists, understaffed hospitals, so excuse me for thinking flying kids over 5000kms to get treatment is virtue signalling. I’m sure some of the Saudi countries nearby could help more.
@Freda Peeple: it is a fact that many parts of our health system is in crisis, however it is not a fact to say that kids from Gaza are being treated at the expense of kids from Ireland. And as for your opinion that all it is is virtue signalling, we have been asked to help by the WHO and this treatment will result in real benefits for the 30 kids concerned – quite the opposite of virtue signalling. Oh and finally, we are far from the only country that will help with this program. I don’t know for sure that Saudi is one of them, but so what? I’m quite sure you would have the same issue with it if Saudi was one of the countries in the program.
Lessons will be learnt….. where were the lessons learnt when the shop costing millions was built in grounds of DE. Who is learning lessons when it comes to children’s hospital.
Who gives tents to immigrants who then camp illegally on canal Bank, before having tents confiscated and destroyed, before being replaced ….. this crazy country. where no one takes responsibility
Lessons will be learned says he.
When are these bunch of clowns going to gone!!
Is there any politician in this country with half a brain and not a muppet!
@John Kelly: unfortunately not and there’s a shower that are comfortable in this country and worry not for others, who want them back in power and the opposition is hopeless also,its desperate altogether.
Name and shame the company who built the bike shed and also investigate who they are related to in the Dail and / or OPW. This company needs to pay back at least €300,000 as they ripped off tax payers royally. How many more overpriced projects have the OPW managed.
I don’t remember anything like this scale of ruckus in the Oireachtas when Bertie Ahern pissed away €55million on E-Voting machines that were never used. I think our elected representatives can grasp smaller figures and so can appear competent in questioning them. The real waste is left unchallenged.
Don’t mind the bike shed have a look at the car park and new unnecessary road in fenit village co kerry it was a beautiful unspoilt field with cows grazing in it.its costing a fortune and I suppose the healy raes have contract and council acquired it from local owner at inflated price an absolute disgrace
What a bunch of incompetent,deceitful,lying,corrupt bunch of C@NTS RUNNING this country out with the lot of gougers root and branch reform.
There are 16…. bicycles in the Dáil, that’s a fact……
@Fintan Pox: respect to you geezer
What a load of moaning . Sure they spent 300K on a bike shed, Sydney opera house was hundreds of millions over budget and 15 years behind schedule, so what now. Government is doing fantastic job, budget surplus, low unemployment, plenty on great salaries, Irish able to travel all over the world. People should remember what the 70s and 80s were like
@Peter Byrne: and generations living at home with they’re parents with half the world on the way over to us to be housed aswel with what’s in power oblivious to it,great crack.
@Peter Byrne: we don’t live in Sydney,and it’s 2024 not the 1970’s or the 1980’s Peter,it’s that attitude that allows them to keep doing what they have been doing with taxpayers money for decades. Are you one of them Peter?
@Peter Byrne: low unemployment you say other ppl call CE scheme extra €27.50,,,
@Peter Byrne: Absolutely right Peter. We are the envy of Europe!! World Class moaners……
Exactly what I said. Your bad boys . And then we go on with our daily spending of other ones money
Ahh the old “lessons will be learned” mantra
Clearly they haven’t from previous wasteful projects
Bike shed anger dont make me laugh its everything taxing people to the hilt stomping on small business while big internationals pay sweet fa , rte corruption no charges brought, childrens hospital etc golden handshakes lotto pensions with tax breaks no effing accountability , what is needed is nation wide strikes bring the country to a standstill , they have no respect for citizens or the tax money thats taken in not to mention bank bailouts the mafia treat people better
Penny’s compared to the € wastage on the NCH
have your say