Demolition of listed house to be examined

The Flood tribunal is to examine the circumstances surrounding the controversial demolition of a listed 16th-century house owned by the Murphy group, when it resumes today after a four-week break for Christmas and the New Year.

Turvey House in Donabate was demolished in 1987 on the orders of Dublin County Council, even though it was listed as a national monument. At the tribunal last year, Mr James Gogarty alleged that the former Dublin assistant city and county manager, Mr George Redmond, "stuck his neck out" on Turvey.

One of the council officials centrally involved in the decision to order the demolition of Turvey, Mr Tom Doherty, is scheduled to appear before the tribunal today. Mr Redmond has denied Mr Gogarty's allegation and said he had no involvement with Turvey before it was pulled down. However, following the demolition, he was dragged into the ensuing controversy involving the council, the media and the Office of Public Works.

Mr Justice Flood has set a limit of two weeks for the tribunal to finish hearing the remaining witnesses in the Gogarty strands of its investigations. The chairman has said he will then make a major statement on the progress of the tribunal and on the course of its future hearings.

From next month the tribunal is expected to begin hearings into the separate allegations made by a Luton-based developer, Mr Tom Gilmartin, who has alleged he gave former Fianna Fail minister, Mr Padraig Flynn, a cheque for £50,000.

The most important remaining witness in the present strand of the tribunal is Mr Frank Reynolds, the managing director of Murphys, who co-signed the £10,000 cheque paid, along with at least £20,000 in cash, to another Fianna Fail minister, Mr Ray Burke, in 1989.

Mr John Maher, a Murphys executive, is also due to be called.

The cross-examinations of the developer, Mr Tom Bailey, his wife Caroline and their accountant, Mr Joe O'Toole, have yet to be completed. The remaining scheduled witness is Mr Peter Mycroft, an English engineer who will testify that Mr Joseph Murphy jnr was working in Britain around the time of the payment to Mr Burke.

Although a number of questions have arisen in relation to his evidence during the examination of other witnesses, it is unlikely that Mr Gogarty (82) will be recalled to the witness-box he occupied for more than four months last year. Just over a year after he started giving evidence in Dublin Castle, Mr Gogarty is said to be in good health. He recently had a new hip fitted and is said to be following the tribunal closely.

It is unlikely that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will be called to give evidence regarding his 1997 investigation into the allegations surrounding Mr Burke. Mr Ahern spoke to Mr Burke and to Mr Bailey about the allegations, and sent Mr Dermot Ahern to London to question Mr Murphy jnr about the matter.

Even though both legs of the investigation produced contradictory answers, the Taoiseach conducted no further inquiry and proceeded to appoint Mr Burke to the Cabinet in June 1997. Mr Burke resigned four months later after admitting he got £30,000 from Murphys.