O'Brien is currently the second-largest shareholder in the Dublin-based publishing company, which operates in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India, Reuters reported Thursday. He began accumulating his stake in 2006, according to a Wednesday report by RTÉ.

Compared to 2006, the company has announced it expects revenue to grow by about three percent in 2007, RTÉ reported.

Independent has stated it expects advertising revenues from newspapers and online platforms to be up by four percent, while it expects newspaper circulation to rise 1 percent. Total online revenues are expected to be up by about 70 percent, Independent announced, according to RTÉ.