Redmond had to be 'looked after', Mahon tribunal told

Mr Tom Gilmartin was told he would have to "look after" George Redmond if his proposed development of Quarryvale was to have any chance of success, the Mahon tribunal was told today.

The developer told the Mahon tribunal today he was brought by Mr Liam Lawlor to meet Redmond, former assistant Dublin city and county manager,  at Dublin County Council offices on O'Connell Street in May 1988.

The tribunal heard yesterday how the first time Mr Gilmartin met Mr Lawlor, he asked him about who owned the land along the Galway road. Mr Lawlor said he "knew every patch of land in the area" and would get him a map.

Mr Gilmartin said today Mr Lawlor had picked him up at Dublin airport in his Mercedes and told him "George had something for me."

He said they met Redmond, then the assistant city and county manager, in his office and had a general conversation about the proposal to develop the Quarryvale site.

Mr Gilmartin said Redmond took a large map from his desk drawer. It was colour-coded to show who owned the lands at Quarryvale and there was also a list of names. Redmond then turned his back and put the telephone to his ear, the tribunal was told.

The Co Sligo-born developer said Mr Lawlor then asked him for £100,000 and told him "George would have to be looked after" for doing him this favour.

Mr Gilmartin said he got the impression Redmond was just pretending to be talking to someone on the telephone.

He said he put the map in his briefcase and turned to leave. Mr Lawlor again insisted that if the Quarryvale project was to "go anywhere", both he and Redmond would have to be paid.

"I'll think about it," Mr Gilmartin said. He added that at no time did Redmond, who is serving a 12-month jail sentence for corruption in a separate matter, directly ask him for money.

The tribunal has risen for this evening and will resume hearing Mr Gilmartin's evidence on Tuesday morning.