Martin 'shocked' over Gilmartin six-figure charge

Mahon tribunal:Last June, Mr Gilmartin alleged in evidence that Mr O'Callaghan had told him he paid Mr Martin a six-figure sum. The claim was widely covered in the media, however Mr Gilmartin withdrew it four days later, saying he had intended to say a five-figure sum.

In evidence yesterday, Mr Martin said he never received a six- or a five-figure sum from Mr O'Callaghan and was very angry when he heard the six-figure allegation repeated on the 1pm news.

"You cannot dismiss lightly what was said on the main news," he said. He complained that the matter was left hanging over the weekend.

Counsel for Mr Martin, John O'Mahony SC, had also complained after the allegation was made, criticising the tribunal for its handling of Mr Gilmartin's evidence.

However, Patricia Dillon SC, counsel for the tribunal, yesterday defended the tribunal's handling. She said the allegation was made close to the end of Mr Gilmartin's evidence. The tribunal was not aware it was going to be made and there was very little more it could have done on the day.

Mr Martin also said that he could not remember a meeting in 1994 with Mr O'Callaghan and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who was then minister for finance.

Ms Dillon read an entry from Mr Ahern's ministerial diary for the afternoon of April 13th, 1993, which recorded a meeting with Mr O'Callaghan and an M Martin.

Ms Dillon asked Mr Martin if he remembered any such meeting or if he recalled discussions about a national stadium at the time. Mr Martin said he did not.

She pointed out that Mr Ahern had had a meeting the previous month in Los Angeles in relation to the national stadium proposal, which was then being considered by Mr O'Callaghan for lands he owned at Neilstown in Clondalkin, west Dublin.

Moreover, she suggested Mr Martin might check his diaries for the time. However, he responded that he did not have any diaries at the time.

Ms Dillon took Mr Martin through his "financial dealings" with Mr O'Callaghan.

The tribunal was told that Mr Martin received a £1,000 political contribution from Mr O'Callaghan for election expenses in 1989 and a further £5,000 in 1991. Another £5,000 contribution was made in 1993 by Mr O'Callaghan to the Atlantic Pond Restoration Fund, a restoration project spearheaded by Mr Martin. A contribution of £1,000 was paid by Mr O'Callaghan to a transition-year project, after Mr Martin requested it, and a £200 contribution was made to a race night, Ms Dillon said.

She said most of the 1991 £5,000 contribution was lodged to an account held by Mr Martin's wife, Mary O'Shea. She asked Mr Martin if it had been his normal practice to give all political donations to his wife and for her to handle the money.

"It still is," Mr Martin replied.

Asked if he was aware of comments by Mr Gilmartin that Mr O'Callaghan said he was being "groomed for taoiseach" in 1992, Mr Martin said he was somewhat flattered and amused. He said in later life he might have become the subject of such speculation, but at the time he was only "a wet week in the Dáil".

Mr Martin said afterwards he believed he had made his point to the tribunal.

Pat Quinn SC, for the tribunal, read into the record a series of letters and documents that passed between the tribunal and the late Liam Lawlor beginning in 1999. The tribunal was told that Mr Lawlor said he received £1.52 million in contributions from 50 separate bodies between 1973 and 2000, including £60,000 from lobbyist Frank Dunlop and £25,000 from Mr O'Callaghan.