'No recollection whatsoever' of meeting on alleged payment

The former taoiseach Mr Albert Reynolds and a Fianna Fáil official have differed in their evidence concerning Mr Tom Gilmartin's payment of £50,000 to the former minister Mr Pádraig Flynn.

The party's national organiser, Mr Sean Sherwin, told the tribunal yesterday that he informed Mr Reynolds in February 1992 about the alleged Flynn payment. Mr Reynolds had just been elected leader and was about to become taoiseach.

However, Mr Reynolds followed him into the witness box to say he had "no recollection whatsoever" of the meeting with Mr Sherwin. He was satisfied that there was no meeting at which he was told about allegations concerning Mr Flynn.

"If I had had any meaningful information you can take it from me, and my record will show it, I would have taken appropriate action, especially in relation to wrongdoing. Have no doubt about it," he said.

Mr Sherwin said he decided to tell Mr Reynolds this allegation was "flying around" in his mind, even though he didn't believe it himself. "At the time, I was firmly of the disbelief it was true." Mr Reynolds deserved to know the allegation was "out there" and it was then up to him to deal with it, the witness said.

He told Mr Donal O'Donnell SC, for Mr Gilmartin, that nothing would have prevented him bringing the information to Mr Charles Haughey, but he chose not to.

He rang Mr Reynolds on his election as party leader and went to meet him in his Dublin home in February 1992. He described how in 1990 he had met Mr Gilmartin, who told him he had given Mr Flynn a cheque for £50,000, intended for Fianna Fáil.

He also told Mr Reynolds that the party fundraiser, Mr Paul Kavanagh, had investigated the allegation and found that Fianna Fáil had not received the money.

He said Mr Reynolds didn't make any response but thanked him for his visit.

Two days before he was elected taoiseach, he continued, Mr Reynolds rang him to say that if he were to raise the matter with Mr Flynn he would have to identify the source of the information.

Mr Sherwin said he was just the messenger and that Mr Gilmartin was the ultimate source of the information. He would prefer not to be identified. He never heard from Mr Reynolds on the matter again.

However, Mr Reynolds said he moved to the Berkeley Court Hotel on his election as leader, because his home in Ballsbridge was being "bombarded". His daughter acted as his PA and she had no recollection of any contact from Mr Sherwin.

Neither he nor his daughter had any recollection of the calls Mr Sherwin said he made.

Mr Sherwin said he was "comforted" when Mr Kavanagh told him the money had not come to Fianna Fáil. "I wasn't prepared to believe Pádraig Flynn received the money."