Courts / Tipperary / Report

Discovery motion in long-running Esat Digifone case

Date
2019-04-02

Stage
Hearing Or Decision

Primary locality
Tipperary

Summary

In a long‑running High Court action over the 1996 award of Ireland's second mobile‑phone licence to Esat Digifone, several pretrial motions have been filed. The plaintiffs – Comcast International Holdings Inc, Ganley International Ltd, GCI Ltd and businessman Declan Ganley – argue that the licence was improperly awarded and that the selection process was corrupt and flawed. They seek damages and are requesting the discovery of documents and records from the defendants, which include the Minister for Public Enterprise, the State, businessman Denis O'Brien and former Fine Gael minister Michael Lowry. The defendants deny the allegations and oppose the discovery on the grounds that it is onerous and largely dates back to the mid‑1990s. The discovery motions were opened before Mr Justice Senan Allen on Tuesday, with the hearing expected to last several days. The case remains ongoing.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Discovery motion in long-running Esat Digifone case. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

2019-04-02 Publication

Why: Opening the case Brian O'Moore SC, for the plaintiffs, said that the documents were being sought in order to allow his clients "understand what went on," at the relevant time. CNI source report