Businessman Denis O’Brien claims death threats were made against him and his family after details of his banking affairs with the IBRC were revealed in the Dáil.
The businessman was giving evidence on the third day of his legal action against the Dáil and its Committee on Procedures and Privilege.
He claims Deputies Catherine Murphy and Pearse Doherty “unravelled” a court imposed reporting restriction by releasing the details under privilege.
Denis O’Brien was greeted by photographers and camera crews when he arrived at the public entrance to the Four Courts at 9.30 this morning – an hour and a half before Day 3 of his legal action against the Dáil Committee on Procedure and Privileges (the CPP), the clerk of the Dáil and the State got underway.
The case arises from comments made about Mr. O’Brien’s personal banking affairs with the IBRC by Deputies Catherine Murphy and Pearse Doherty during Dáil debates in May and June last year.
An order preventing RTÉ from broadcasting a report on his dealings with the IBRC was in place at the time, with a full hearing scheduled for June.
But he says he was forced to concede because the information he was trying to protect was put into the public domain from the floor of the Dáil.
It was standing room only in the court this morning when Mr. O’Brien was called to give evidence. The public gallery was full and the jury box was taken over by reporters.
He began by saying this case was important for the country as a whole and compared a person’s bank details with their medical records.
He said it would be a “pretty extraordinary situation” if every citizen was subject to the disclosure of those details.
If that were the case, he said potential investors would look at it as a “considerable weakness”.
He described threats to his life and those of his family after the comments were made.
Under cross-examination, he said he took this case to make sure this never happens again, to any citizen.
He said he just wants the court to determine whether one can rely on a court order, or whether someone can get up in the Dáil and deliberately unravel that.
He said it’s about respecting the High Court and accused the deputies of doing the opposite..
Mr. O’Brien concluded his evidence just after 12.20. The hearing is expected to take at least another four days.
