Counsel for auctioneer Mr John Finnegan today strongly objected to questioning about aspects of a land deal in which Mr Finnegan was involved during the 1970s.
Mr Dominick Hussey SC, for Mr Finnegan, suggested this morning’s questioning indicated the tribunal had changed into an investigation of his client rather than inquiring into alleged payments to former minister Mr Ray Burke.
Mr Justice Flood ruled that because of a "common fissure" in a series of land deals also involving Mr Joe McGowan and Mr Tom Brennan, the tribunal was entitled to examine this.
The builder Mr Joe McGowan was then questioned about the profit-sharing agreement between himself, Mr Brennan and Mr Finnegan.
Ms Patricia Dillon SC, for the tribunal, asked what did Mr Finnegan "bring to the table" in an arrangement that saw his company Foxtown Limited receive one-third of the profits from the Monkstown land deal - worth £100,000 - when he had not made any capital contribution towards the purchase of the lands.
Mr McGowan said the agreement was that the profits would be shared equally when Mr Finnegan brought an attractive property to their attention.
Ms Dillon then asked why Mr Finnegan was paid a sum of £5,000 in addition to the £100,000 paid to Foxtown. Mr McGowan said: "I just didn’t know, I can’t remember".
Ms Dillon said from the documentation available it seemed that Mr Finnegan was an advisor or a consultant - to which Mr McGowan said: "I cannot make any assumptions, I just don’t know".