Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

Does the Taoiseach accept it was utterly negligent of him to allow the former Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Deputy Lowry, to sideline the Cabinet in which they both served and bounce the entire Government of which they were Members into awarding the second mobile telephone licence to Esat and Mr. Denis O'Brien by foreshortening the process and bringing it forward by one month? Did the Taoiseach understand at the time this was probably the most valuable licence that would ever be awarded in the history of this State? That being the case, is it not incredible that no serious Cabinet discussion took place about the final decision? He was part of that. We now know that Deputy Lowry delivered a licence by disgraceful and insidious means to Mr. O'Brien, which highlights the Taoiseach's failure in Cabinet. Can he explain?

Evidence to the tribunal reveals Fine Gael's enormous propensity to peddle political influence for big business funding. It had its face in the corporate trough every bit as much as Fianna Fáil. Perhaps it was in more genteel surroundings than a crude marquee in a race course but Mr. Denis O'Brien showered the Taoiseach's party with cash throughout the whole of 1995, while the mobile telephone contest raged. Without even a discussion at Cabinet, Fine Gael and Labour Ministers, including the Taoiseach, gifted the same Mr. O'Brien with a personal goldmine from which he made €300 million or more shortly afterwards. Considering the relationship between Mr. O'Brien and Fine Gael, is there any way that the Taoiseach is anything but hopelessly compromised in this situation? Will he at least begin by making a full apology to the Irish people for this disgusting relationship of big business influence and the Fine Gael Party?

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