McCreevy's 'positive response' to cash request recorded

The Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, met the chairman of Punchestown racecourse, Mr James Osborne, before the submission of the first request for 100 per cent State funding for the Punchestown Event Centre.

Minutes of the November 1999 meeting of Blackhall Racing Co and Punchestown Development Co Ltd, two companies that run Punchestown, record Mr Osborne telling his fellow directors of Mr McCreevy's "positive response" to a request for £5 million (€6.35 million).

"The chairman reported on his meeting with the Minister for Finance and the presentation of a proposal seeking additional government grant of £5 million for the development of Punchestown as an exhibition centre for all items and agricultural shows," the minutes noted.

"He noted the positive response of the Minister and advised that a fuller proposal and costings were being prepared for the Department of Agriculture. A decision was expected in the new year."

In November 1999 a proposal was submitted to the Department of Agriculture. It was approved within two months. The Department did not officially notify Punchestown of the grant as further contacts were known to be taking place. It then received a request for a larger grant, €12.8 million, to build a more elaborate centre than originally proposed. This second request was approved in June 2000.

The minutes of the November 1999 meeting record a director, Mr David Cornwall, congratulating Mr Osborne on his approach to Mr McCreevy. He "suggested that if this element of grant aid was forthcoming, it was important that, as well as our indoor arena, stable yard and entrance building, appropriate grass arenas were included to allow for agricultural shows."

An official from the Department of Agriculture wrote to Mr Charles Murless of Punchestown on August 1st, 2000, saying she was "pleased to inform you that this Department, having consulted with the Minister for Finance, agrees to the provision of a maximum of €10.5 million in State funding" for the project.

Despite a clause of the agreement being that no further call should be made on State funds, an extra €1.5 million was paid following another approach to Mr McCreevy.

A letter from Mr Murless to Mr McCreevy on September 17th, 2001, thanked him for meeting Mr Osborne and Mr Murless in Mr McCreevy's clinic in Naas, Co Kildare.

"I would like to thank you for your support and I hope very much that you and Mrs McCreevy will be able to join James for lunch" at the coming race day. A second page included with the letter listed 11 further requirements for the event centre, totalling €1.15 million.

... The total given to the project by the State was €14.8 million. In 1999 the Irish Horseracing Authority had two representatives on the Punchestown board, Ms Margaret O'Reilly and Mr Aidan Walsh. Mr Osborne is a businessman and former partner with A. & L. Goodbody, solicitors.