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Updated 2pm
RTÉ HAS PUBLISHED ‘almost all’ of the story it had prepared about Denis O’Brien after the High Court agreed that most of the information is in the public domain.
The news report was originally scheduled to be broadcast on 1 May but was blocked after the businessman secured an injunction.
Now, after Justice Donald Binchy agreed to vary the order because of “dramatic” recent events, the broadcaster has published most of the information on its website.
The story says that the billionaire told the liquidator of IBRC that he had received ‘verbal confirmation’ from former CEO Mike Aynsley of an extension of his €320 million loans.
The story now publishes contents from a letter written from O’Brien to liquidator Kieran Wallace in which he said the extension amounted to a year on the three-year loan.
The story, prepared by business editor David Murphy, also alleges that IBRC believed that “its situation had been weakened” by O’Brien’s claim of a verbal agreement.
It also says that there was “protracted correspondence” between the bank and O’Brien.
It adds that documents seen by the broadcaster did not show how the issue was resolved.
Last week, the High Court refused to completely lift the injunction order.
It had been argued by RTÉ it was made inconsequential by a number of developments including speeches in the Dáil by TDs Catherine Murphy and Pearse Doherty.
Lawyers for O’Brien, RTÉ and IBRC have since been arguing over which parts of the RTÉ script should remain covered by the injunction.
O’Brien had no longer opposed the publication of information that had come into the public domain.
Now, it has been decided by the High Court that all but two paragraphs of the RTÉ report can be published.
Lawyers for IBRC argued that legal advice given to the bank about its relationship with the businessman should remain confidential.
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The poor man I hope he makes a speedy recovery & gets the help he needs!
No doubt an addict stumbling across the road from merchants quay treatment centre. I’m forced to weave around one out of it on the road at least once a week there early in the morning each week. Hope he’s ok.
@thegreatdefector: still a human being.
@thegreatdefector: why do you have to contribute to the already existing stigma against addicts, it could of been anyone!!in any situation! from any walk of life, even someone who might of had to much to drink and fell. Be nice you pr*ck
@thegreatdefector: no you don’t hope he is ok , all you seem to care about is the inconvenience of weaving around some person in the morning once a week
@Patricia Mcnamara: well said Patricia. Because someone is an addict means they are suffering with a dreadful illness not that they are less human or expendable. There before the grace of God go I…. It’s someone’s son/daughter brother/sister.
@Trevor croft: Imploring someone to be nice while calling him a p*ick. Ironic that.
@thegreatdefector: Merchants quay treatment centre is open at 7am?
@JC: sorry jesus your right, I could of chose my words differently! Be nice you gobshi#te
@thegreatdefector: no doubt? How many of
‘ them’ have you heard of that actually fell in? In case you haven’t seen it, that bridge would need to be climbed or the person would have to have been ‘helped’ over it.The people who use that service have enough to struggle with in their daily lives without broad sweeping assumptions about them being thrown about as if they’re less than human.
@thegreatdefector: it’s the 65 thumbs up to your comment that’s frightening. May be maybe not a junkie but he is someones son.
@Thomas Claffey: I personally don’t like that word but it’s your mouth (or thumb in this instance) so fire away. My youngest brother, who died earlier this year, was an addict. You wouldn’t have been allowed to call him that in front of me without a dressing down I can tell you but your sentiment is correct. Everyone is someone’s son or daughter and entitled to basic respect. Will you please think about using that word to describe people? It’s hurtful to them and to those who actually know and care about them.
@Daff. Myers: sorry for your loss Daff. It’s a truly terrible illness. I hope he passed peacefully and is free of that demon now.
@Daff. Myers: it is what it is
@Daff. Myers: I am sorry for your loss. but I have walked in them shoes and was called that name .I was hooked on junk. Iam not someone that has not gone through it.
@Thomas Claffey: that makes it even more amazing you would use language that makes you appear to have no empathy. Why not use your life experience to educate and help? You’d be best qualified if you’ve lived through that and come out the other side.
@Mick Murphy: thanks Mick. We know where he is now and that nobody will ever hurt him again. And yes, at least he is free of the demon.
A sign of the times
Sad.. a sign of the times
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