The former minister Mr Michael Lowry met a representative of one of the losing bidders for the second mobile phone licence when the licence competition was still under way.
The meeting, with Mr Tony Boyle, chairman of Persona Digital Telephony Ltd, was organised by a Fine Gael fundraiser, Mr Frank Conroy. The meeting is being investigated by the Moriarty Tribunal, which resumes public hearings today. Persona is one of the failed bidders that has signalled it may sue the State in relation to the licence competition.
The project group that assessed the bids in 1995 drew up a protocol on contacts with representatives of the bidders, Mr John Loughrey, the former secretary of the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications, has told the tribunal in a statement.
He said he advised Mr Lowry about being careful about such contacts and was "satisfied that Mr Lowry took the advice not to get involved in any conversations [about the licence\] with any bidder".
In a statement to the tribunal, Mr Boyle said that during the meeting, which took place in the Fitzpatrick Castle Hotel, Killiney, Co Dublin, and lasted approximately 30 minutes, he ensured that "the minister heard directly of our interest in the bid and the strength of our team".
It is understood the Persona bid came second in the 1995 competition, which was won by Esat Digifone. Persona is one of two groups that have lodged holding actions with the State in relation to the licence competition. The holding action was lodged because, under the statute of limitations, such actions must be initiated within six years.
Another failed bidder for the licence, Cellstar, has also lodged a holding action. As seven years have passed since the licence award, other losing bidders may be prevented from initiating actions.
Mr Boyle, in his statement to the tribunal, which has been seen by The Irish Times, said he undertook an "intensive lobbying campaign" to explain to interested parties the "strength of our bid and the credentials of our partners".
The Persona consortium included Motorola, Sigma Wireless, Unisource and ESB International. The insurance broker to the Sigma group was Barrett Hegarty Maloney Ltd, Pembroke Row, Dublin 4, "who are known to have a strong relationship with Fine Gael", Mr Boyle told the tribunal.
He said the consortium's main contact in the insurance firm, Mr Colm Moloney, introduced him to Mr Frank Conroy, who was chairman of the firm. "Mr Conroy offered to request Mr Lowry to meet with me so that I could make a presentation to him."
Mr Boyle said the meeting took place in August 1995, when the licence bids had been submitted. Mr Conroy introduced him to Mr Lowry and then attended the meeting between him and the then minister. The three men met in the public bar of the hotel.
Mr Boyle told the tribunal in his statement that his consortium had prepared publicity material that, among other matters, identified the members of his consortium, their credentials, their approach to marketing and other matters.
"Mr Lowry listened intently to our proposals and said he was aware that our consortium was a very strong contender," Mr Boyle said in his statement. "Upon the conclusion of the meeting, I reported to the board that I had had the opportunity to put a positive presentation to the minister on the credentials of our proposal."
Mr Lowry, in his statement to the tribunal, said he remembered having a "short meeting at Fitzpatrick's Hotel some time after the competition was announced. This meeting was, I recall, organised at the request of Mr Boyle through Mr Conroy." Mr Lowry said Mr Boyle outlined what the anticipated charges from his consortium would be if it won the licence.
