Gilmartin quizzed on bribe allegations

Former assistant Dublin county manager George Redmond quizzed developer Tom Gilmartin yesterday on what was the last day in a four-month session at the tribunal for the Luton-based developer.

Mr Gilmartin had alleged that Mr Redmond, in co-operation with the late Liam Lawlor, had interfered with his purchase of corporation land at Bachelors Walk in Dublin in 1988.

He said Mr Redmond had blocked the sale of the land and that the price of other land he was interested in buying had increased greatly after "Lawlor and Redmond went around advising people not to sell cheap".

It "all started" after Mr Lawlor and Mr Redmond demanded and were refused a payment of £100,000, Mr Gilmartin had said.

Mr Redmond (82), who was found guilty of corruption in 2003 and sentenced to a year in prison for accepting a bribe of £10,000 in relation to the sale of a right-of-way at Palmerstown, denied the allegation. He pressed Mr Gilmartin about the validity of his evidence.

Mr Gilmartin said that because of Mr Redmond's age, he was reluctant to cause him any difficulty. "Nevertheless you were one of the king players with Mr Lawlor," Mr Gilmartin said.

He added that he was "a little bit loath to put the boot in".

Mr Redmond said he didn't want to get involved in "an argy-bargy", but having read some of the things Mr Gilmartin said about him, he was absolutely outraged.

He said he knew nothing about the sale of lands at Bachelors Walk.

As the cross-examination continued, Mr Redmond edged his chair closer and closer to Mr Gilmartin in the witness box, while tribunal staff moved microphones to accommodate him.

At one stage, he got to his feet and walked to Judge Mahon at the bench to listen to his explanation of hearsay.

At other times, he stood at the edge of the witness box, asking his questions inches from Mr Gilmartin, until the tribunal provided him with a headset, after which he sat down.

Mr Redmond said he had no role in the corporation disposal of the lands at Bachelors Walk and the official record showed the corporation followed the correct procedures.

"There was no land deal, Mr Redmond, that you didn't have a hand in," Mr Gilmartin replied.

Pascal O'Dwyer, counsel for former Fianna Fáil councillor Joe Burke, whom Mr Gilmartin said had asked him for £500,000 in September 1990 in connection with assistance in the purchase of Dublin corporation land at Quarryvale, questioned Mr Gilmartin about his allegations.

Mr Gilmartin had also said Mr Burke took him on a taxi ride to the airport via two Dublin pubs, in an attempt to find Bertie Ahern to discuss money before Mr Gilmartin flew back to Luton.

Mr O'Dwyer quizzed Mr Gilmartin about the various versions of the story he had given to the tribunal.

"These various accounts you have given to tribunal lack credibility in their entirety, are fantastic and have been made only for reasons known to yourself," Mr O'Dwyer told Mr Gilmartin.

Mr Gilmartin concluded his evidence yesterday, but was told that there was a chance he might be needed briefly next year.