A businessman has told a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court corruption trial jury that he gave £10,000 in a brown envelope to the former Assistant City and County Manager, Mr George Redmond, but said Mr Redmond didn't ask him for it.
"I enticed him by saying I would look after him very well," Mr Brendan Fassnidge said in reply to prosecuting counsel, Mr Patrick J McCarthy SC (with Mr Patrick McGrath BL).
Mr Fassnidge said Mr Redmond's response was "negative" at the time but he would say he took the money "because he got what he wanted".
Mr Fassnidge added that three days later he collected the planning permission he required for a petrol station on the Lucan bypass at the then Dublin County Council's office in O'Connell St.
He said he needed a strip of land for a right-of-way onto the Lucan by-pass and couldn't get the planning permission without having access to the bypass.
He had been accompanied by former TD Mr Liam Lawlor to discuss the price of it with a valuation officer who indicated it would cost £30,000. He thought that was "a very big consideration" for it but he got his planning permission after giving Mr Redmond the £10,000.
He remembered Mr Redmond drank a glass of wine before leaving with the brown envelope in which his bank had given him the money earlier that day.
Mr Fassnidge said he knew no other way to get the planning permission he needed and had no contact with Mr Redmond after that.
"I know I parted with £10,000 and I have no way of knowing what happened to it," he added.
Mr Redmond (78) has pleaded not guilty to two charges of corruption.
The first charge alleges that Mr Redmond corruptly received a gift of money from Mr Brendan Fassnidge on a date unknown between June 1, 1987 and May 31, 1988. The money was allegedly an "inducement or reward" in respect of the sale of a right of way at Palmerstown, County Dublin by the County of the County of Dublin.
The second charge alleges he corruptly accepted a gift of money as an inducement or reward for favouring Mr Brendan Fassnidge in relation to the sale of the right of way.
Judge Michael White read to the jury panel, before the jury of six men and six women were sworn in, a long list of potential prosecution witnesses which included former Mr Lawlor and retired Dublin City Manager Mr Frank Feely.
Judge White told the jury that they might have heard or read media coverage surrounding Mr Redmond but that like all accused persons he was presumed innocent before the court.
He said if any of them felt they could not approach the case with an open mind they should tell him before being sworn in. The trial is scheduled to continue for up to three weeks.
The hearing continues.