Goodman was told Lawlor debt was a 'dead loss'

A former tax adviser to Mr Larry Goodman told him to "walk away" from a debt owed by Mr Liam Lawlor because it was a "dead loss" that he could not hope to recover.

The adviser, Mr Seán Mooney, told the tribunal that it "rankled" with Mr Goodman that he had been "done" by Mr Lawlor.

However, he said he advised his client to "cut his losses and just get on with his business" because the debt, amounting to several hundred thousand pounds, was a "nuisance".

While he was anxious to recover the money, Mr Goodman sought to avoid any publicity about his involvement in a land deal with the former Fianna Fáil TD, the tribunal heard.

In 1993 Mr Goodman instructed his advisers to recover money owing from the deal, which he funded with an initial loan of £350,000 to Mr Lawlor in 1987.

On foot of this instruction, Mr Mooney engaged solicitor Mr Noel Smyth to recover all costs incurred in the purchase of the land at Coolamber, near Lucan. But he advised Mr Smyth that the money was to be recovered through "negotiation, not litigation".

It was "absolutely fundamental" to Mr Goodman that he was not involved "in any shape or form" in court proceedings, Mr Mooney advised the solicitor. There was "no way" Mr Goodman wanted to feature in the media in court proceedings or to be associated with the owners of the land. This was especially so after recent allegations, Mr Mooney said.

Asked yesterday which allegations he had in mind, Mr Mooney said he could not recall, but it might have had something to do with Mr Lawlor.

At this time, he explained, Mr Goodman had received a lot of publicity in the beef tribunal and was involved in talks with his banks about debt. The last thing he wanted was any form of litigation with Mr Lawlor about planning or land.

In 1993 Mr Goodman's efforts to recover his money were rendered more difficult when ownership of the Coolamber land was transferred from Southfield Property Company, an Irish company, to the British Virgin Island-registered Vino Properties for £400,000. Later that year Vino sold the land to a builder for more than £2.5 million.

Mr Des O'Neill SC, for the tribunal, said it appeared Mr Goodman was being done out of his money. Mr Mooney said this was correct.

Mr O'Neill asked the witness why he had not got on to Mr Lawlor to describe this transfer as a "sham".

Mr Mooney replied that he would certainly have said this to Mr Lawlor. He would have told the politician in no uncertain terms of his annoyance that the Coolamber property was being "stripped out" at a value that was substantially lower than the market value.

Mr Goodman was "cheesed off" at the way he had been treated, he said.

Asked who was responsible for the failure to repay Mr Goodman his money, the witness said that his client had set out to help Mr Lawlor, to whom the money had been advanced. "Liam was to look after it. He was the person to put it right."

Talks with Mr Lawlor continued for some years.

However, to this day Mr Goodman had not recouped the money owed to him.