No response from Michael Lowry: TD says he was 'smeared' but has yet to rebut claims

Extra.ie​

5 hours ago

Sinn Féin has said it is 'not surprised' Michael Lowry has made no comment on claims made by Pearse Doherty in the Dáil about his role in a deal involving Doncaster Rovers Football club over 150 days ago, at the beginning of the Dáil.
Long-time TD for Tipperary Mr Lowry emerged as a key figure in Programme for Government discussions when he brought a number of Independent TDs together to back the Government.
On January 23, when Micheál Martin finally became Taoiseach – more than 150 days ago – Pearse Doherty read into the Dáil record, under Dáil privilege, what he said was 'new information' about a deal Mr Lowry was involved in with Doncaster Rovers Football Club. Independent TD Michael Lowry. Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
He said: 'I wonder if Deputy Lowry will use that speaking time to come clean to set the record straight about his involvement in the Doncaster deal, the purchase of Doncaster football club funded by Denis O'Brien, a deal that the deputy swore that he had no part in and was not to benefit from, which was completely and utterly false. Let me put some new information on the record of the House.
'Deputy Lowry had 57 meetings in relation to the Doncaster deal, including here in the Houses of the Oireachtas, with the organisers of the project and representatives of sport. He also had meetings in the boardroom of Doncaster football club itself. Will Deputy Lowry explain also, in September and October of 2001, why his accountant and his adviser paid the person putting the Doncaster deal together two bank drafts of £32,500 and £25,000 for his fee?'
'When he is doing that, maybe Deputy Lowry will explain why these payments came from an account in Gibraltar and where did they originate from? These payments were never disclosed to the [Moriarty] tribunal. Will Deputy Lowry use the Government's time to explain to this House and the public why he, on 15 March 2001, met with other key individuals in relation to this deal in Dublin?' Independent TD Michael Lowry. Pic: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Mr Lowry said Mr Doherty's comments were a 'smear' against him and said he was requesting time from the Ceann Comhairle to make a statement to the Dáil to rebut the allegations.
He said at the time: 'Pearse Doherty availed of Dáil privilege to make so-called new allegations in respect of my dealings with the Moriarty Tribunal. Within hours of it being brought to my attention, I delivered a letter to the Office of the Ceann Comhairle.'
Extra.ie originally checked in with Mr Lowry and the Office of the Ceann Comhairle on March 21 to see if Mr Lowry had delivered the letter and would be getting speaking time to address the matter. Both Mr Lowry and a spokeswoman for the Ceann Comhairle said that he had delivered the letter. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
Mr Lowry said at the time the Ceann Comhairle would 'inform' him 'in due course' about the matter. A spokeswoman for the Ceann Comhairle said: 'I can confirm that Deputy Lowry did request to make a personal explanation and the matter is with the Ceann Comhairle's office.'
Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy also confirmed in the Dáil Chamber on February 26 that she had received the letter from Mr Lowry and had 'requested further information from him'.
'I have not received the information yet,' she said at the time.
To date, Mr Lowry has not made any statement in the Dáil about the allegations made by Mr Doherty. Pearse Doherty said he was 'not surprised' Mr Lowry was 'refusing to make a statement on this', adding: 'So much for his huffing and puffing that he wanted to make a statement on the Dáil record.'
Extra.ie contacted both Mr Lowry and the Office of the Ceann Comhairle again this week but received no reply from Mr Lowry.
A spokeswoman for the Ceann Comhairle said: 'The matter rests with Deputy Lowry so best to check in with him.'
As part of the deal to support the Government, Mr Lowry secured four junior ministries for Independent TDs, the role of the Ceann Comhairle for Verona Murphy and he has regular access to Cabinet ministers.
The Sunday Times recently reported that the Independent TDs who back the Government, including Mr Lowry, get weekly briefings from Cabinet ministers.
The Moriarty Tribunal found Michael Lowry to be 'profoundly corrupt' to a degree that was 'breathtaking'. Taoiseach Micheál Martin once described him as 'a rogue politician', and said he should resign his seat.
Mr Lowry has always rejected the findings of the tribunal but has not brought a challenge to thefindings in the courts, an avenue that was open to him.
He has topped the poll at successive general elections and emerged as the kingmaker of the current Government but has receded into the background since the Government was finally formed earlier this year.