Flynn asked for money 'for the boys', Mahon hears

A senior executive of the British property company that tried unsuccessfully to develop Bachelor's Walk, has told the Mahon tribunal he was asked by Mr Padraig Flynn for money for "the boys".

The former chairman of Arlington Securities, Mr Ted Dadley, has claimed in a statement to the tribunal that the former Minister for the Environment asked him for a "donation" at a Fianna Fail fundraising lunch in a London hotel.

The event was also attended by the Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern, who was the Minister for Labour at the time. Previously, the tribunal has heard this event took place in November 1989.

Mr Dadley claimed that after he had finished making a speech, he was approached by Mr Flynn and asked if Arlington "would make a donation to the boys."

He said he consulted with the Arlington chief executive, Mr Raymond Mould, about the request for money before telephoning Mr Flynn to say "it would not be possible".

The tribunal has already heard that Arlington had employed Mr Tom Gilmartin to represent it during its unsuccessful attempts to build a £100 million shopping centre along the River Liffey in the late 1980s.

Mr Gilmartin has told the tribunal he had a number of meetings with Mr Flynn seeking his assistance in redesignating the site for a shopping complex.

Mr Flynn wrote to Arlington in February 1988 to inform them the land had been redesignated under the Government's urban renewal scheme. Mr Gilmartin agreed this morning with Mr Bernard Madden, SC  for Mr Flynn, that this letter was "standard practice".

There was "no impropriety whatsoever" in Mr Flynn's correspondence, Mr Gilmartin said.