Gentleman – I pen this letter as my retort to your leading article concerning the publishing of the examination results by the inspectors into Independent News & Media. The piece comments that “The account of events as relayed by Robert Pitt and Ryan Preston taking place within the country’s prime media establishment in the year 2016 stands validated”.
In their safeguarded declarations, both Mr. Pitt and Mr. Preston purported that I endeavoured to swindle INM for Mr Denis O’Brien’s profit concerning the intended purchase of NewsTalk, besides the disbursement of INM’s APN holdings.
The inspectors, on the topic of NewsTalk, have mentioned in their dossier that they are “convinced Mr Buckley’s tactics during negotiations were extraneous to any aspiration to further Mr O’Brien’s cause at the sacrifice of INM’s shareholder’s overall interests.” Furthermore, the inspectors commented that I did not exert unethical pressure on Mr Pitt or Mr Preston to boost the NewsTalk price tag, which was a claim made by both gentlemen.
On the APN matter, the inspectors have documented that the suggestion to keep Island Capital on board was not a spontaneous act that might have resulted in an INM fraud; nor did Mr Buckley acquiesce to Island Capital’s engagement with the objective of aiding Mr. O’Brien to the detriment of other INM shareholders.
The incontrovertible reality is that these allegations by Mr Pitt and Mr Preston have been scrutinised and have not been accepted by the inspectors.
– Yours sincerely,
LESLIE BUCKLEY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.