Affidavits filed by INM board members

SEVEN members of the board of Independent News and Media (INM) have filed sworn statements responding to the application by the State’s corporate watchdog for the appointment of inspectors.

The board members who have sworn affidavits are INM CEO Michael Doorly, Dr Len O’Hagan, Paul Connolly, Catriona Mullane, Terence Buckley, John Bateson and Seamus Taaffe. Mr Bateson and Mr Taaffe were appointed to the INM board on March 1.

A former director, Jerome Kennedy, and INM’s IT director in Ireland, Gerry Wilde, have also sworn affidavits, according to the courts website.

All nine affidavits were filed in the High Court central office this week.

Seven were filed on Tuesday, while those by Mr Connolly and Mr Wilde were filed on Wednesday.

The High Court was told on Monday that INM is opposing the application by the Director of Corporate Enforcement, Ian Drennan, for the appointment of two inspectors investigate whether INM’s affairs have been conducted in an unlawful manner or one unfairly prejudicial to some part of its members.

Mr Drennan wants inspectors to investigate a range of issues, including a major suspected data breach, where IT back-up tapes were provided to a third party service provider on the instructions of then INM chairman Leslie Buckley.

INM, which employs more than 870 people and publishes this newspaper, is opposing the appointment of inspectors and is also seeking judicial review of the application by Mr Drennan.