Law Society hands over files seized from Byrne to Cab

Files seized by the Law Society from solicitor Thomas Byrne have been given to the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) and the Garda National Bureau of Fraud Investigation on foot of court orders, the High Court heard yesterday.

The Law Society had obtained the files for its continuing investigation into Mr Byrne's practice but has now, on foot of production orders, passed the documents to the Cab and the Garda fraud squad, Shane Murphy SC, for the society said yesterday.

The society has kept copies of the files for the purpose of its own investigation.

The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Richard Johnson, adjourned proceedings brought by the society against Mr Byrne for a further two weeks to facilitate the continuing investigation.

He also directed that the various financial institutions and others who had dealings with Mr Byrne should co-operate in exchanging information about those dealings in an effort to ascertain the extent of Mr Byrne's liabilities.

Later yesterday, further proceedings involving Mr Byrne and IIB Bank were adjourned by the Commercial Court.

In previous hearings before that court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly directed that papers relating to Mr Byrne's dealings with the EBS Building Society should be sent to the Garda National Bureau of Fraud Investigation.

To date, Mr Byrne, whose practice Thomas Byrne & Company, Walkinstown Road, Dublin, has been closed by the society and who is alleged to have engaged in multiple mortgage fraud, has been ordered by the courts to repay more than €40 million to various banks.