Updated 9.56pm
MICHAEL LOWRY HAS described the search of his home by over a dozen officers from the Revenue Commissioners earlier this week as a “fruitless exercise” and told his local radio station he is seeking legal advice.
The controversial North Tipperary TD told Tipp FM that as many as 15 officers from Revenue searched his home on Tuesday for over three hours carrying out a thorough examination of every room.
“They did a methodical search. They went through the drawers, they went through the cabinets, through all the presses. They went through all the furniture, through the wardrobes, they went through all the clothing in the various bedrooms, went through the beds.”
He said it was a “fruitless exercise” as officials left with documents including political statements he had made, some handwritten notes and bank statements.
“It was totally unwarranted and totally over the top. Everything that I have in my possession over the years is already in the possession of the tribunal and is already in the possession of the Revenue,” he said referring to the Moriarty Tribunal.
News of the search only emerged yesterday and has not been confirmed by Revenue itself which declines to comment on all individual cases.
Lowry told Tipp FM he intends to seek legal advice on the raid which he claimed was leaked to the media by Revenue officials.
Lowry is the first sitting TD to be subject of a raid on his house. He made a €1.4 million settlement to the Revenue in 2007 following an audit.
He resigned as Communications Minister from the Rainbow Coalition in 1996 following revelations about his business affairs, later quitting Fine Gael to become an independent TD who has been re-elected in the last three general elections.
In 2011, the Moriarty Tribunal found that Lowry had an “insidious and pervasive influence on the process” of awarding a mobile phone licence to Esat Digifone, a company run by media tycoon Denis O’Brien.
First published 6.03pm
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