Denis O’Brien ‘delighted’ with High Court judgment

Businessman Denis O'Brien has said he was "delighted" with the judgment released by Mr Justice Donald Binchy in the High Court today.

Mr O’Brien also said many people had contacted him with messages of support, saying they regarded confidentiality in customer-banking relationships as a “cornerstone of Irish democracy”.

A similar phrase, "cornerstone of our democracy", was employed by Tánaiste Joan Burton over the bank holiday weekend when describing the importance of Dáil privilege.

The High Court published a redacted judgment setting out its reasons for granting an injunction to Mr O'Brien and Irish Bank Resolution Corporation against RTÉ.

Mr Justice Binchy said he had made some “fairly minimal” redactions to the judgment, which explained his reasoning for giving an injunction against RTÉ broadcasting details of Mr O’Brien’s personal banking with IBRC.

In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, Mr O’Brien said he had noted that during the hearing RTÉ had “emphasised there was no allegation of wrongdoing against me of any kind”.

He said: “In particular, I note Mr Justice Donald Binchy’s statement that ‘the existence of a right to confidentiality between a bank and its customers had been recognised in law for almost a century.’”

Mr O’Brien concluded his statement with a message of thanks to his supporters.

“Finally, I wish to thank the very many people who contacted me with messages of support, many of whom said they too regard confidentiality in customer-banking relationships as a cornerstone of Irish democracy,” he said.

A spokesman for Joan Burton said on Monday night: “The Tánaiste believes that the constitutional protection for TDs and Senators to speak freely in the Dáil and Seanad on matters of concern - and for the media to report it - is an absolute cornerstone of our democracy”.