Celtic Helicopters, the company owned by Mr Ciaran Haughey, was central to much of the evidence heard yesterday by the Moriarty tribunal. Details of how beef exporter Mr Seamus Purcell came to invest in the company were heard. And another beef exporter, the Goodman group, was also mentioned.
Mr Purcell told the tribunal that sometime in the mid-1980s, and probably in 1985, he was told there had been a call to his office and that Mr Charles Haughey, then leader of Fianna Fail in opposition, wanted to meet him in the Berkeley Court Hotel.
They met in the hotel bar and had a general discussion about livestock, the meat trade, and the situation in Libya. As they were leaving Mr Haughey said his son Ciaran "needed a bit of capital" for a company he was setting up and he, Mr Haughey, would appreciate it if Mr Purcell put up £12,000.
Mr Purcell said he would, Mr Haughey said the late Mr Des Traynor would be in contact, they shook hands and parted.
Mr Traynor was in contact soon afterwards. Mr Purcell knew him as the chief executive of Guinness & Mahon bank, with which Mr Purcell did business. Mr Purcell told Mr Traynor he did not want any shares in Celtic Helicopters in return for his investment. He told Mr Traynor to take the money from his company's account.
The actual sum was never mentioned during the conversation and counsel for the tribunal, Mr John Coughlan SC, said the records show that the amount transferred was £10,000 rather than £12,000.
Mr Purcell said it was his understanding that a number of people were being asked to contribute towards Celtic Helicopters. The former minister for health, Dr John O'Connell, told the same to the tribunal in February. Dr O'Connell gave £5,000, as requested, to Mr Haughey in March 1985, following a conversation with him in Leinster House.
Mr Mike Murphy, of Mike Murphy Insurance Brokers (MMIB) Ltd, gave evidence about an investment of £100,000 which a Monaco-based business associate of his, Mr David Gresty, made in Celtic Helicopters in 1992. At the time the company was in dire financial straits but Mr Murphy said he told Mr Gresty, whom he had asked to make the investment, that he believed the company would trade out of its difficulties. He also guaranteed Mr Gresty's investment.
Mr Murphy said the helicopter company was in danger of not being able to pay its insurance premium, which would have put it out of business. `Under no circumstances did I want it to be known, did I want to be known as the person responsible for the collapse of Celtic Helicopters, due to its obvious association with Charles J. Haughey."
It was for this reason that he raised the matter with Mr Gresty. It was also for this reason "primarily" that he "assisted the company with the payment of their insurance premium directly". Most of this advance has since been repaid.
Mr Coughlan pressed Mr Murphy as to why he was so concerned about Celtic Helicopters going out of business. It was in this context that the Goodman group was mentioned, for the first time at the tribunal.
The money for the investment came from a "running account" which contained money paid by customers of MMIB, and money due to businesses, such as that belonging to Mr Gresty, with which insurance cover had been placed. Mr Murphy did a lot of business with Mr Gresty, and in the three years prior to the Celtic Helicopters investment had placed £2 million worth of premiums with him. Mr Murphy's biggest customer was the Goodman group of companies.
Mr Murphy said that before approaching Mr Gresty about investing in Celtic Helicopters, he approached two of his Irish customers. He did not name these customers. They did not want to make the investment. The approach to Mr Gresty was made around September 1992.
"Around September of that year Mr Charles J. Haughey was giving evidence at the beef tribunal, isn't that right?" Mr Coughlan asked. Mr Murphy replied: "I wouldn't have a clue."
Mr Coughlan said the money for the investment in Celtic Helicopters was to come from a running account linked to business which included MMIB's largest customer, the Goodman group, at a time when the Beef Tribunal was in session. This was a very sensitive matter, he said.
Mr Murphy said that point had never crossed his mind. He said he never mentioned the matter to his customers.
"You didn't have that type of relationship with the Goodman organisation?"
Mr Murphy: "Not at all. Not in the slightest."
Mr Murphy said it would be "very unwise" for a man in his business to make an enemy "of the son of the most powerful man in the State at that time". He said that if he had not helped Celtic Helicopters he might have lost the business of "substantial customers in the beef business". The tribunal heard that as well as the Goodman group, MMIB also did substantial business with Kepak.