Redmond's colleagues were 'strong men'

Mahon Tribunal: A retired deputy Dublin city manager has dismissed as "nonsense" a claim that he was too weak to stand up to his former local authority colleague, George Redmond.

Mr Paddy Morrissey told the tribunal he and the other local authority managers were "strong men" used to making decisions, who would not be unduly influenced by Redmond, who was assistant manager with responsibility for Dublin county.

He said he couldn't understand why Dublin Corporation's former chief valuer, Mr Michael McLoone, told the tribunal last week that Redmond was able to get his way with him and the other managers because they were too weak.

Mr Morrissey said Redmond was not able to talk him into doing something that he didn't want to do.

He recalled disagreeing publicly with his colleague on one occasion, when Redmond claimed the corporation had been responsible for delaying the building of Tallaght town centre. This was "totally wrong" and he had to explain that what Redmond was saying was "raiméis".

Mr Morrissey said he didn't have any direct knowledge of contacts between Redmond and the developers of Blanchardstown shopping centre, Green Property.

However, there had been "talk in the office" that Redmond alerted the company to the fact that the corporation was selling lands at Quarryvale to a rival developer, Mr Tom Gilmartin, in 1989.

He said Redmond had no function "good, bad or indifferent" in the disposal of lands. It saddened him that a colleague would interfere in any way in the lawful activities of the corporation.

When he was arrested five years ago, Redmond told the Criminal Assets Bureau he advised Mr John Corcoran of Green Property to respond to Mr Gilmartin's proposed deal by telling the corporation that he, too, was interested in the Quarryvale lands. He also told CAB the price agreed for the land with Mr Gilmartin was "abnormally low".

In his evidence yesterday, Mr Morrissey said he hadn't known about Redmond's contact with Mr Corcoran. It was none of Redmond's business and he regarded it as something he shouldn't have done.

In his evidence, Mr McLoone had cited a number of developments in which he claimed Redmond got his way, including a development at Corkagh demesne and a Brennan and McGowan project at Castaheaney.

Mr Morrissey said he had no recollection of dealing with these lands. Brennan and McGowan were notoriously bad developers, who had left unfinished estates all around the county.

The witness insisted the proposed sale of the Quarryvale lands, at a price of £40,000 an acre, was a good deal for the corporation. No one wanted to buy lands in west Dublin at that time and builders were even trying to get the corporation to buy lands from them.

Redmond had never come to him to say the price was low, he said. In fact, he never had any discussions with his colleague about the matter.

As a result of Mr Corcoran's intervention, the Quarryvale lands were put out to tender and eventually sold to Mr Gilmartin for the higher price of £73,000 an acre.

Mr Morrissey said he didn't regard Redmond as having any involvement in the disposal of the lands.

Representing himself yesterday, Redmond said he had "quite legitimately" told Mr Corcoran that if he was looking for land, the corporation had some to sell at Quarryvale.

Mr Liam Lawlor, representing himself, said there was a lot of "ballyhoo" about Redmond's links to Mr Corcoran, but the fact was that Mr Gilmartin was telling everyone about his intentions, and anyone could have told Mr Corcoran of the proposed land deal.