Lawlor's deals to come under scrutiny

Mahon Tribunal: Mr Liam Lawlor's deals with businessman Mr Jim Kennedy and solicitor Mr John Caldwell are due to come under further scrutiny today with the start of hearings at the planning tribunal concerning the purchase of land near Lucan.

The former TD, who repeatedly denied any involvement with Mr Kennedy's business activities until it was revealed in a High Court case in 2001, received an offshore payment of £350,000 for his work on raising the finance to buy the land at Coolamber, near his Lucan home.

Beef baron Mr Larry Goodman provided the money for the purchase, although he had no interest in the land.

The loan was channelled through one of Mr Lawlor's companies, Advanced Proteins.

Documents sourced by the tribunal from Mr Goodman and from solicitor Mr Noel Smyth reveal Mr Lawlor's involvement with Mr Kennedy, as well as his receipt of the offshore payment.

Mr Goodman is one of at least 19 witnesses which the tribunal plans to call in connection in the Coolamber module.

Before they are called, tribunal lawyers will detail the results of their investigation in today's opening statement.

Once bought, ownership of the Coolamber land was vested in a series of offshore companies. Four years after Mr Goodman loaned the money in the late 1980s, the land was sold for £2.2 million to builder Mr Joe Tiernan.

Although the sellers made a handsome profit of £1.5 million, a row broke out between Mr Lawlor and Mr Caldwell.

Mr Lawlor received £350,000 in 1995 but sought a second substantial payment.

This was paid after Mr Lawlor threatened to report Mr Caldwell to the disciplinary committee of the Law Society.