Former Century radio director James Stafford has told the Flood Tribunal that he was furious when he heard about the payment of £35,000 to the then Communications Minister Ray Burke. Mr Stafford said that from the day he heard about the payment relations with co-director Oliver Barry broke down.
Mr Stafford also clashed with lawyers for RTÉ today over who owned the national broadcasting network. He claimed it was owned by the public and should have been available to other broadcasters at minimum cost. Counsel for RTÉ, Paul O’Higgins, suggested that Century was looking for a free ride on the back of the national broadcaster which explained why they had never negotiated directly with the station over transmission fees. Mr Stafford further said that the national broadcaster had not delivered the signal coverage promised to Century. RTÉ claimed that it had in fact delivered on its obligations to Century ahead of time.
Mr Stafford claimed that RTÉ was spreading the word among advertisers that Century only had 35% coverage when it went on air which was a breach of confidentiality. Mr Stafford has always claimed that RTÉ abused its dominant position in the market, a claim rejected by RTÉ.
Earlier today the Tribunal heard more about how the former government press secretary, PJ Mara, wanted to work for Century Radio in 1989. Council for one of its directors, Oliver Barry, said that everyone was, as he put it, "talking up" Century at the time and many people wanted to work there. However former director James Stafford still claims he knew nothing about Mr Mara wanting to join the company.
Under cross examination Mr Stafford repeated that he had been told several times that he owed Mr Mara £30,000 and that it was an unexplained demand. Counsel for Oliver Barry put it to him that this had never happened. Mr Stafford replied that it had.
