Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael face further criticism over Michael Lowry talks

By Cate McCurry, PA

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are facing further criticism for engaging in government formation talks with a Tipperary politician who was heavily criticised in a judge-led inquiry examining payments to politicians.

It comes as talks to form a new government continued to make progress on Monday, with an expectation that a draft agreement will be ready in the coming days.

The draft agreement will then have to be ratified by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael members, a process which could take up to a week.

The two parties have been in discussions to form a government with Regional Independents group, which is led by Tipperary North TD Michael Lowry.

Further meetings are expected to take place on Monday and Tuesday to agree on a number of policy areas.

However, Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald criticised the parties ongoing engagement with Mr Lowry.

The 70-year-old was criticised in a tribunal that was established in September 1997, which examined payments to former Irish Taoiseach Charles Haughey and Mr Lowry.

The tribunal’s final report was published in March 2011 and found that Mr Lowry, a former Fine Gael TD, helped businessman Denis O’Brien secure the State’s second mobile phone licence in 1995.

The tribunal also criticised his behaviour as “profoundly corrupt”.

It also described Mr Lowry’s assistance in helping Mr O’Brien secure the licence as “disgraceful and insidious”.

The Tribunal’s report found it was “beyond doubt” that Mr Lowry imparted substantive information to Mr O’Brien, which it said was “of significant value and assistance to him in securing the licence”.

The report described Mr Lowry’s role as “disgraceful and insidious”.

Recently, gardaí sent a file relating to its investigations around the findings of the tribunal to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Following the publication of the March 2011 report, the Dáil motion calling on Mr Lowry to voluntarily resign his membership passed without a vote.

Mr Lowry refused to step down.

Ms McDonald said the Moriarty Tribunal findings made against Mr Lowry were “very clear”.

“I think more to the point Fianna Fáil, in particular, but also Fine Gael have, as I understand it, problems with Michael Lowry,” she told reporters in Belfast on Monday.

“The Moriarty Tribunal was very, very clear. The findings against him were absolutely damning.

“As a matter of fact, a Dáil motion of censure was moved against Michael Lowry.

“Micheál Martin, at the time, was absolutely vociferous and subsequently maintained that position.

“I think the question is more for them, what changed? When did it become OK, or when did it become acceptable for them, that Michael Lowry would not alone be engaged, he is a duly elected member of the Dáil, that needs to be acknowledged, but at what point did Micheál Martin in particular, decide that it was actually a good idea to form a government with Michael Lowry.

“I can’t answer that. I certainly think he should.”