The major Irish showbusiness personality at the centre of an alleged rape claim has hired the country's top criminal law firm to fight his case.

The veteran star, who is married with children, confirmed to the Sunday Independent that he has employed Michael J Staines & Company to defend him against the allegations.

The Dublin-based celebrity hired the legal representation following reports that a woman had reported him to gardai about an incident which happened over 30 years ago. The star also said gardai had not approached him about the complaint.

The woman involved is due to speak to gardai for a second time in the coming days.

Once further inquiries have been completed, it will then be decided if the man involved should be brought in for questioning.

In recent days the celebrity told newspapers that he was innocent of the allegation. He told reporters: "I didn't do it," when contacted after the story broke last week.

The personality, who is a prominent figure in Irish entertainment and lives in Dublin -- regularly appearing on television -- was with family this weekend as he teamed up with lawyers to fight the accusations.

The woman wept as she spent several hours reliving the alleged ordeal at the hands of the star to gardai.

A friend of the woman said that she had not come forward before now because she did not want her child to know what had happened.

Sunday Independent