Solicitors Darragh Mackin and Gavin Booth claim Denis O'Brien's statement implied they acted for and received payment from the IRA. Photo: PA

Solicitors Darragh Mackin and Gavin Booth claim Denis O'Brien's statement implied they acted for and received payment from the IRA

Darragh Mackin and Gavin Booth, solicitors with Belfast human rights firm Phoenix Law, claim Mr O’Brien defamed them in the press statement, issued in response to a report on the concentration of media ownership in Ireland.

Carey was a high-profile prisoner in Cloverhill over the weekend and is being "watched like a hawk" by officers over concerns for his welfare.

The Kilkenny native had been due to be sentenced on Wednesday but a sick note was handed into the court by defence counsel and Judge Martin Nolan was told that Carey was not present.

Independent TD, Michael Lowry, who was communications minister at the time, is a notice party in the case

Businessman Denis O'Brien, along with the State, is being sued by the Persona/Sigma consortium, one of the unsuccessful bidders for the country's second mobile phone licence

The Tipperary North Independent TD is a key player in talks on a new government formation, but the controversy surrounding findings of the Moriarty Report in 2011 have returned

New accounts show that pre-tax profits at Actavo Group Ltd declined by 23 per cent to €5.58 million due mainly to a sharp jump in staff costs and a rise in non-core operating costs.

As well as suing Dublin-based Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, which is the social media giant's European HQ, Mr O'Brien is suing the parties he claims are behind the adverts

Denis O'Brien claims that since last August his name and image have been used in a series of fake adverts

Mr O'Brien has sought a court order for Meta to provide him with information about those behind allegedly "false and malicious" advertisements

Directors for Yelsea Ltd - which include Mr O’Brien’s wife, Catherine - state that "2022 saw a return to pre-Covid-19 trading levels"