Independent TD Michael Lowry claims he was discriminated against when the Moriarty tribunal decided not to award him full costs for his participation.

He was investigated by the tribunal in relation to the awarding of the State’s second mobile phone licence in 1995.

Two years ago, the former Minister for Communications was awarded a third of what he described as “vast costs that run into millions”.

The tribunal applied the deduction after deciding he didn’t fully co-operate with it; a finding he strongly denies.

The Moriarty tribunal was set up in 1997 to investigate alleged payments to Michael Lowry and former Taoiseach Charles Haughey. It lasted 14 years.

In 2013, the tribunal decided to only award a third of costs to Mr. Lowry after finding the former Minister for Communications didn’t co-operate fully.

The now Independent TD strongly disputes this, and believes he should have been fully reimbursed for his costs, that could yet run into millions.

He claims he is being discriminated against, and points to the awarding of full costs to the late Mr. Haughey as the “core issue” to be resolved.

In opening his legal action today, his lawyers argued the same procedure used to arrive at Mr. Haughey’s award should have been applied in their client’s case.

The hearing is expected to take up to six days.