Mr Denis O'Brien was accused of "pursuing" Telenor, the former Norwegian partner of Esat Digifone, to give $50,000 to Fine Gael at the Moriarty Tribunal yesterday.
Mr Eoghan Fitzsimons SC, for Telenor, asked why Mr O'Brien twice gave former Telenor chairman Mr Arve Johannsen the UK phone number of party fund-raiser Mr David Austin.
Mr O'Brien said Mr Johan nsen might have lost the number.
Mr Fitzsimons said another explanation was that there was no previous conversation, and Mr O'Brien had invented it to bring the episode closer to the time of the Fine Gael New York fund-raising dinner.
Mr O'Brien said that was a very serious allegation.
"Either you are telling the truth or my clients are telling the truth," Mr Fitzsimons said.
Mr O'Brien said Telenor wanted to make the donation as part of a strategy to develop political contacts here.
Mr Fitzsimons asked why Telenor would have shredded documents relating to the donation if it was part of a strategy.
Mr O'Brien said the first he knew about shredding was when he came to the tribunal.
Mr Fitzsimons said: "I have to suggest to you you were the one who wanted it invisible and you were the one responsible for the contribution."
Mr Fitzsimons asked Mr O'Brien how many times he had "procured a $50,000 donation to Fine Gael". "I was not a procurer," he replied.
He said Mr O'Brien's evidence that Telenor made the donation to make political contacts was "an act of the imagination".
Mr Fitzsimons asked what Telenor personnel would have thought if they had discovered the $50,000 donation did not reach Fine Gael immediately.
Mr O'Brien said both he and Telenor would have been "concerned" if they knew.
Mr Fitzsimons said Telenor was "totally dependent" on Mr O'Brien for advice on Irish business customs. Mr O'Brien said they were "sophisticated investors".
