The former JMSE financial director, Mr Roger Copsey, elaborated to the Flood tribunal on a variety of documents and correspondence acquired by the tribunal. They included letters written to Mr Joseph Murphy snr regarding activities of the Murphy companies, meetings to ascertain capital gains tax implications on the sale of lands with senior counsel, and the recovery of title deeds to lands. He also outlined his role in relation to Mr Gogarty's pension. Mr Copsey said he was informed that Mr Gogarty had communicated with Mr Murphy about his [Mr Gogarty's] concerns about the Murphy companies in 1987 and in May 1988.
Mr Copsey said Mr Gogarty began to get more and more involved in the running of the company and this caused strains in relations with Mr Marcus Sweeney.
"Jim found himself interfering more with the day-to-day management and the running of the company than he did to begin with," he said. "Hence my letter [to Mr Murphy] saying we have to do something about the present situation."
Mr Copsey said that he wrote the letter "because the cracks were beginning to show".
Mr Copsey said Mr Sweeney was removed directly because of the unhappiness with Mr Gogarty. He also told the tribunal that he understood Mr Gogarty had expressed a desire to retire since 1988.
"There was a running sore with Mr Gogarty from May/June 1988 when he wanted to retire with a pension which he felt was adequate until he did retire in June (1989)," Mr Copsey said.