RULING DELAYED ON MEDIA GROUP

O’brien’s fury over leaked INM details

DENIS O’brien has accused Ireland’s director of corporate enforcement of leaking details of his application to have inspectors appointed to Independent News and Media.

The High Court in Dublin has been asked to decide whether to probe governance arrangements at the media group but has delayed making a decision while further legal issues are discussed.

Major INM shareholder Mr O’brien wrote to director Ian Drennan saying the alleged leaks had damaged his reputation. His letter stated: “I hold you fully and personally responsible for all such failures and breaches.”

Mr Drennan’s lawyer Neil Steen said: “We are reasonably satisfied those allegations are unfounded.”

He told the court there is a compelling public interest in appointing inspectors to investigate Independent

PROBE Denis O’brien News and Media data use. It follows a data breach within the firm in 2014 involving several people including some of its own journalists. Mr O’brien wrote to the director about confidential information emerging into the public domain which he said was damaging his reputation.

Mr Justice Peter Kelly said the decision to bring the legal proceedings is due to go to judicial review next month and that will determine whether to proceed on the substantive case.