The High Court began hearing an application by businessman Denis O'Brien today. He is seeking an injunction restraining the Moriarty Tribunal from hearing evidence in public concerning the purchase of the Doncaster Rovers football ground.
The tribunal is investigating the possibility that the former Communications Minister, Michael Lowry, was involved in the deal.
Counsel for Mr O'Brien, Eoin McGonigal, said the only reason for examining the Doncaster matter was to damage his client's reputation.
Mr McGonigal said, under its terms of reference, the Moriarty Tribunal had powers to conduct investigations in private, in order to determine whether sufficient evidence existed to warrant proceeding to a full public inquiry.
The background to the case involves a letter written by an English solicitor Christopher Vaughan, who was involved in the purchase of the stadium, which suggests the involvement of Michael Lowry in the deal.
Mr Lowry has denied any involvement and Mr Vaughan has since told the tribunal he made a mistake in assuming Mr Lowry was involved.
In court this morning counsel for Mr O'Brien said if the tribunal wants to inquire into what took place then the people involved, solicitor Christopher Vaughan and businessman Ken Phelan who was also involved in the deal, should be called to give evidence.
Both have indicated that they are not willing to travel to Dublin.
The court also heard that counsel for the tribunal had travelled to London two weeks ago and held a meeting with Mr Vaughan. The proceedings of that meeting will be made available to the chairman of the tribunal.
