Ahern knew of payment to Flynn - Gilmartin

The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, was told about Mr Tom Gilmartin's £50,000 payment to Mr Padraig Flynn, as well as allegations about Mr Liam Lawlor and George Redmond, in June 1989, Mr Gilmartin has told the tribunal.

Mr Gilmartin said he told Mr Ahern, who was then minister for labour, about his "whole saga" in a phone call that month.

Mr Gilmartin said that, at the time he contacted Mr Ahern, Dublin City Council was voting on Mr Gilmartin's tender to buy lands at Quarryvale in west Dublin. The matter was the subject of controversy and interference, and he wanted to enlist Mr Ahern's support.

He thought of Mr Ahern because the politician had told him at previous meetings to make contact if he had any problems.

Around this time, he phoned Mr Ahern and told him about "the whole saga", including the activities of Redmond and Mr Lawlor.

Mr Ahern had said he had a friend who would look into the matter for him, and gave him the number of Cllr Joe Burke. He said he met Cllr Burke and repeated his allegations. Mr Burke said he would look into the matter.

Mr Burke has told the tribunal in a statement that he did meet Mr Gilmartin at the behest of Mr Ahern, but that the only discussion concerned the developer's plans for Quarryvale and Bachelor's Walk.

Mr Gilmartin said Mr Burke phoned him later to say the council had approved the land deal and that "there would be no further trouble".

A week later, Mr Gilmartin said, he rang Mr Ahern to thank him. Mr Ahern asked him if he had made a donation to Fianna Fáil. Mr Gilmartin said he replied that he had given £50,000 to Mr Flynn. Mr Ahern made no reference to the matter, he said.

Mr Ahern has told the tribunal in a statement that he has "no specific recollection" of the call. He could state with certainty that he hadn't sought a donation.

If Mr Gilmartin had told him he had given money to Mr Flynn this wouldn't in itself have surprised him because Mr Flynn was the party treasurer.