A former Murphy Group director went to Mr George Redmond rather than gardai about trespassing and vandalism problems on some of the company's lands, the Flood tribunal was told yesterday.
Mr Batt O'Shea (82), a former builder and long-time friend of Mr Joseph Murphy snr., said he knew Mr Redmond, the assistant Dublin city and county manager, from playing golf with him.
He said property belonging to the Murphy Group was being damaged on a large site-called the Martello Estate in Portmarnock, Co Dublin. The company wanted to build a pub there, but local residents were unhappy with this, and this may have explained some of the vandalism.
Ms Patricia Dillon SC, for the tribunal, said it was "somewhat unusual" that problems of trespassing and vandalism would be referred to Mr Redmond. "Why did you go and see Mr Redmond?" she asked.
"Well. I don't know," said Mr O'Shea. "He was the city manager at the time and I had known him. And we made an appointment and we went in to him and told him what was happening." He said Mr Redmond said the parish was looking for a site for a church, and the company could help with this. "We gave a site for the church and abandoned the idea of building a pub," said Mr O'Shea.
Ms Dillon said: "It seems somewhat unusual to me, Mr O'Shea, that if your property is being damaged and broken by residents and you have acts of trespass being committed against your property that instead of going to the gardai . . . you go in to the assistant city and county manager."
She asked: "Did you seek assistance anywhere else with this problem other than with Mr Redmond?"
"I can't remember," said Mr O'Shea.
Ms Dillon asked Mr O'Shea if he talked to Mr Joseph Murphy snr. after the meeting with Mr Redmond. He said he did and told him the details.
Earlier Mr O'Shea said he had known Mr Murphy snr. since their schooldays in Caherciveen, Co Kerry. Mr O'Shea formed a company, O'Shea and Shanahan, with Mr Tom Shanahan. He built his first house in Ballymun Avenue when he got married in 1959. Also in the same road was Mr George Milner, who had a structural engineering company which was eventually taken over by Mr Murphy and became known as JMSE.
He said he first met Mr James Gogarty no earlier than 1959. Mr Gogarty was the chief engineer in Higginbottom and Stafford, a firm of architects.
Mr O'Shea said he and his partner bought a plot of land in Swords but had no money to develop it. A couple of months afterwards Mr Murphy said he would give him the money provided they formed a company between the three of them, Mr O'Shea, Mr Murphy and Mr Shanahan, with each receiving one-third. Mr Murphy gave them a cheque for £40,000 in 1965.
After this, he became a director of Grafton Construction and other companies within the Murphy Group.
The tribunal continues at 11 a.m. today.