Oliver Barry has told the Flood Tribunal he got no satisfaction from a meeting with the then Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, in 1990. They were discussing the difficulties at the station. The concert promoter also said he could not recollect meeting the Minister for Communications, Ray Burke. Mr Barry said it was a traumatic time, both financially and personally. He said the crisis at Century was like the Titanic.
Mr Barry also told the Flood Tribunal that within a few weeks of Century Radio going on air; he realised that there were problems. By Christmas 1989 the financial position had deteriorated rapidly and the situation was critical. On 19 December, he had two meetings with Ray Burke along with James Stafford. Mr Barry says that he cannot recollect either meeting but he believes that it was to inform the Minister that Century was on the verge of collapsing.
Counsel for the Tribunal asked him whether the issue about capping RTÉ advertising arose at the afternoon meeting. The Tribunal was told that Stafford had said so in evidence but Barry said that he thought that issue came later. The Tribunal also heard that the secretary of the department was present at the afternoon meeting and was instructed by the Minister to bring in the capping. Oliver Barry says that he remembers nothing only the day he and Stafford and the Minister met the Bank. He said that the level of transmission hurt Century sales. He said that he felt that it was a matter for RTÉ.
Patrick Hanratty SC said that in those areas where there was coverage people were not listening and that Mr Barry identified a serious listenership problem. The sales executive Seamus O’Neill told advertisers that there was 65% coverage and that he had heard this from Oliver Barry. Today Mr Barry said that this was incorrect.
