DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Office of the Data Protection Commissioner

The DPC, led by Commissioner Helen Dixon (right), is not a party to the action. However, a barrister for the DPC yesterday sought details from the ODCE’s affidavit as it relates to the suspected data breach. Although both the ODCE and DPC are statutory agencies, they cannot share information with each other without permission, resulting in the DPC seeking court permission to receive legal papers relevant to potential contraventions of data protection laws.

Robert Pitt

INM’s former chief executive was not present in court. However, counsel for Mr Pitt sought a copy of the ODCE affidavit which, the court heard, is largely based on Mr Pitt’s protected disclosure to the ODCE.

Ryan Preston

INM’s chief financial officer, who made a protected disclosure in 2016, has received a copy of the ODCE affidavit. The High Court heard he is seeking copies of other affidavits filed in the ODCE case.

INM

Ireland’s largest media group, which publishes the Irish Independent,

‘Sunday Independent’ and independent.ie amongst other titles, opposes the appointment of inspectors and wants to judicially review the ODCE’s decision. INM says it should have been given notice of the director’s intention to seek inspectors and should have had an opportunity

Red Flag

Red Flag is a PR company founded by former INM executive Karl Brophy (pictured) that is being sued in the High Court by Denis O’Brien. Red Flag’s chairman is Gavin O’Reilly, former chief executive at INM. Mandy Scott, a Red Flag employee, was formerly personal assistant to both Mr Brophy and Mr O’Reilly. Counsel for Red Flag and the three former INM personnel made an application to the court to receive the legal papers filed by the ODCE.

to make submissions before the application was brought. It also wants a court order quashing the ODCE’s decision to seek the inspectors’ appointment.

Sam Smyth

Sam Smyth is a former INM journalist whom, the court heard, is directly affected by the alleged data breach. Mr Smyth also sought a copy of the ODCE’s affidavit.

ODCE

The corporate law enforcement watchdog, led by director Ian Drennan, wants inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Independent News and Media (INM). The ODCE has been investigating various governance issues, including a major suspected data breach, at INM for more than a year. The ODCE inquiry followed a series of protected

Leslie Buckley

Leslie Buckley (right) is INM’s former chairman who resigned last month. A long-term business associate of INM shareholder Denis O’Brien, Mr Buckley was not represented in the High Court yesterday and no submissions were made on his behalf. The court heard he has received a copy of the ODCE’s affidavit from INM.

Denis O’Brien

disclosures in 2016 and 2017 of INM’s former CEO Robert Pitt, and a 2016 protected disclosure by chief financial officer Ryan Preston. INM’s largest single shareholder, who owns 29.9pc of the media company, Mr O’Brien was not represented in court yesterday and no submissions were made on his behalf. However, the High Court heard details of a letter written on April 6 last to Mr Drennan in which Mr O’Brien suggested that the ODCE had facilitated access to the agency’s extensive affidavit grounding its application to have inspectors appointed to INM.