RTÉ News understands it is unlikely that TD Liam Lawlor will comply with an order to appear before the Flood Tribunal next Tuesday. A source close to Mr Lawlor said that the Tribunal should finish dealing with Century Radio before asking him to appear. Mr Lawlor has said that his lawyers would be dealing in writing with all the matters raised by the Tribunal before Tuesday.
A Bank of Ireland official told the Flood Tribunal today that the former Minister Ray Burke told bank officials that he intended capping RTÉ's advertising. The Tribunal has already heard that this was some time before he informed the Cabinet of his intentions. The bank official, Joe Maguire, said that during that meeting in 1989 the then Minister for Communications left them in no doubt that his commitment to Century Radio was strong.
Gay Byrne made a brief appearance before the Flood Tribunal this morning to outline how the promoters of Century Radio tried to persuade him to get involved. The broadcaster told the Tribunal that Oliver Barry and the other investors seemed extremely confident about their application and thought that having Gay Byrne's name on the ticket would "swing it".
Mr Byrne's 20 minutes in the stand began with lawyers saying they thought that in his case they could dispense with the introductions. Mr Byrne told how Oliver Barry had offered him £1m twelve years ago in an attempt to woo him from RTÉ to Century. Three days later Mr Byrne had decided against the offer.
He said that had misgivings about the Century project. He thought a local licence would be a better idea. He thought RTÉ would try to blow the project out of the water and he was worried by the promoters' belief that Gay Byrne's involvement would "swing it" with the IRTC.
