An internal inquiryby the ESAT Telecom board was not told about two payments totalling £150,000 paid by Mr Denis O'Brien to Fine Gael fundraiser the late Mr David Austin, the Moriarty tribunal heard today.
Mr O'Brien told the tribunal the payment was made in respect of a house in Spain he bought from Mr Austin. But when questioned by Mr John Coughlan SC for the tribunal as to why the tribunal discovered the payment was madefrom an offshore account only a matter of weeks ago, Mr O'Brien said he was unaware of the fact at the time of making the payment known.
Mr O'Brien said the origin of the payment would have been known by his adviser and personal accountant Mr Aidan Phelan, and that Mr Austin wanted the money paid to an offshore account. The money was subsequently paid to an Isle of Man account belonging to Mr Michael Lowry.
The ESAT inquiry conducted by Mr Owen O'Connell, a senior solicitor with William Fry Solicitors, asked Mr O'Brien's adviser, Mr Phelan, to make known any payments in excess of £50,000 and any significant accounts operated by Mr O'Brien.
Mr Phelan did not inform the ESAT inquiry, according to Mr Coughlan, who produced notes taken by Mr O'Connell at the tribunal today.