Earlier date for meeting Redmond on sale accepted

Mr James Gogarty's first meeting with Mr George Redmond in connection with the sale of lands in Co Dublin was in January 1988…

Mr James Gogarty's first meeting with Mr George Redmond in connection with the sale of lands in Co Dublin was in January 1988 and not the later one with Mr Michael Bailey, the tribunal was told.

Mr Gogarty said he accepted what appeared to be indicated in new documents produced at the tribunal that the first meeting with the then assistant Dublin city and county manager predated what he had believed was their first meeting in connection with the Forest Road lands.

Mr Desmond O'Neill SC, for the tribunal, said Mr Gogarty in his affidavit had set out the circumstances in which he met Mr Redmond in 1988. Mr Gogarty indicated that after a meeting which he had with Mr Michael Bailey, Mr Bailey arranged a meeting with him and Mr Redmond in the Dublin County Council offices in O'Connell Street, Dublin, in 1988.

Mr O'Neill asked Mr Gogarty: "Is that your first recollection of meeting Mr Redmond in connection with the Forest Road lands?"

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Mr Gogarty said it was. He had first met Mr Redmond in 1984 at the Gaiety Theatre.

Mr O'Neill said that in preparing the Forest Road lands for sale that time, a series of professionals were involved. There was Mr Denis McArdle, the Murphy company solicitor, and Mr Jack Manahan, an architect.

Mr O'Neill said: "A document has been discovered to the tribunal on April 16th, 1999, from the Roger Copsey, Copsey Murray file which deals with the amounts that were paid to Mr Manahan for the services he provided in relation to the sale of the Forest Road lands."

He said it was on headed notepaper from Mr Manahan addressed to Grafton Construction Ltd. It was an account re the Forest Road lands, dated August 29th, 1988, for £12,000. The works would appear to relate to 1983/84.

Mr O'Neill said there was also a side reference in handwriting to the payment. Mr Gogarty said it read "Approved for payment" and it was his signature and the date in August 1988.

Mr O'Neill said the sequence appeared to indicate that on January 19th, 1988, Mr Manahan attended a meeting with Mr Conroy, Mr Gogarty, Mr Mulligan, Hamilton Osborne King auctioneer, and the subject was the proposed sale of lands. Did he recollect that meeting?

Mr Gogarty replied that he did not but he would accept it.

Mr O'Neill said the next entry for the day following that meeting, read: "Attendance at County Council Planning Offices with Mr Gogarty and Mr George Redmond, manager."

"That would appear to indicate that there was in fact a meeting between Mr Redmond and yourself which predates the meeting which you believe was your first meeting with Mr Redmond after 1984," Mr Gogarty replied: "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was with Mr Manahan seemingly, yeah, I accept that."

Mr O'Neill asked if it followed that the introduction to Mr Redmond had not been effected by Mr Bailey because he (Mr Gogarty) had already met Mr Redmond in connection with the Forest Road lands in the company of Mr Manahan. Mr Gogarty said: "Mr Bailey wasn't introducing me to Mr Redmond, he was arranging a meeting."

Mr O`Neill asked: "So you say that you acknowledge that you had a meeting with Mr Redmond in January?"

"I would accept that," Mr Gogarty said.