Developer denies role in land deal

A leading developer, Mr Gerry Gannon, has firmly denied any involvement with the Coolamber land deal currently under investigation by the inquiry.

When he got a letter from the tribunal about the matter, he "hadn't a clue what it was about", he told the tribunal yesterday.

Documents in the possession of the tribunal appear to show that Mr Gannon and solicitor Mr Noel Smyth attended a meeting with Bank of Nova Scotia officials in 1991. At this meeting, Mr Smyth told the bankers Mr Gannon had paid off £167,000 in debts to Goodman International and was prepared to take an assignment of the bank's loan on the Coolamber property, according to a note made by bank officials.

It was said that Mr Gannon would then call in the loan from the owners of the property and appoint a receiver to realise the asset.

However, Mr Gannon said yesterday he had no recollection of attending such a meeting. He never acquired an interest in the land and was never involved in discussions concerning their possible purchase.

He agreed with Mr Des O'Neill SC, for the tribunal, there was a "huge mystery" as to what took place in the dealings between Mr Smyth and the bank, and in particular Mr Gannon's claimed involvement in the Coolamber project.

Mr O'Neill said Mr Smyth had recently provided to the tribunal a letter he sent to Mr Gannon in 1991, which mentioned the fact that a meeting had been organised with the bankers.

Mr Gannon said he had no recollection of receiving such a letter.

There was no reason to believe it was not genuine. He agreed with Judge Gerald Keys it was "highly improbable" that Mr Smyth and the bank officials would have "made up a story" to implicate him in the lands.

Mr Smyth did not act for him as a solicitor in 1991, he said, although the two men did have business dealings.

"I never went to any bank meeting where I never said a word. Yet the file says I sat there looking like a dummy and never opened my mouth." Mr O'Neill then detailed documents which appear to show a £70,000 payment to Gannon Homes coming in to Mr Smyth's client account from an Isle of Man company, Mobberley Ltd.

Mr Gannon said he had not seen such a cheque. If he had, he would have produced it to the tribunal.

He did not know of Mr Goodman's involvement in the Coolamber deal and he never had any business dealings with Mr Liam Lawlor.

Mr O'Neill then cited a 1995 letter from Mr Lawlor to Mr Smyth in which Mr Lawlor said he had set up a meeting for Mr Smyth and Mr Gannon with a landowner in west Dublin.

Mr Gannon confirmed he did attend this meeting with Mr Smyth but said Mr Lawlor was not present. He said he had only met Mr Lawlor a few times and it was very unusual for the politician to ring him.

Mr Brian O'Moore SC, for Mr Gannon, complained about Mr O'Neill's "loaded and heavy" questioning about his contact with Mr Lawlor.

Questions had been put in an "ominous" way, based on documents that had not been disclosed.

Mr O'Neill rejected these claims, saying Mr O'Moore was "making a mountain out of a molehill".