Status of Flood Tribunal's investigations

Gogarty Module: Between 1997 and 1999, the tribunal investigated a £30,000 payment by Mr James Gogarty of JMSE to Mr Ray Burke…

Gogarty Module: Between 1997 and 1999, the tribunal investigated a £30,000 payment by Mr James Gogarty of JMSE to Mr Ray Burke in June 1989.

Last year, Mr Justice Flood ruled in his interim report this was a corrupt payment. Module completed.

Century Module: Investigations into a £35,000 payment by concert promoter Mr Oliver Barry to Mr Burke lasted for almost a year from July 2000. Last year's interim report found that this payment was a corrupt one. Module completed.

Brennan and McGowan module: In 2001/2, the tribunal investigated offshore payments totalling £125,000 made by builders Mr Tom Brennan and Mr Joe McGowan to Mr Burke in the early 1980s. Last year's interim report found that these payments were corrupt ones. It also found that the method by which Mr Burke acquired his house in Swords in the 1970s was not a normal commercial transaction. Module completed.

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George Redmond: The tribunal took evidence from the former assistant Dublin city and county manager Mr George Redmond in 1999. Mr Redmond told the tribunal about the large sums of money he received from developers and other business people; much of this was held in a variety of accounts, often held under assumed names, or in cash in his home. This evidence was not assessed in last year's interim report.

Rennicks/Fitzwilton module: The third large payment Mr Burke received in May/June 1989, a cheque for £30,000 from Rennicks Manufacturing (paid on behalf of its parent, Fitzwilton) has not been investigated publicly. The tribunal has indicated that it intends to devote a module to this payment but has not said when this will take place.

Carrickmines module: Last December, the tribunal started hearing evidence about allegations of political corruption involving Dublin county councillors. The Carrickmines module is concerned with allegations that nine councillors were paid money in connection with their support for the rezoning of land owned by Jackson Way at Carrickmines. The ownership of Jackson Way, an English-registered company linked to businessman Mr Jim Kennedy, financier Mr John Caldwell and, it was been alleged former TD Mr Liam Lawlor, will also be examined. No evidence has been taken in this module since early May, largely due to uncertainties surrounding the issue of costs for earlier modules. These hearings are expected to run for at least three more months.

Quarryvale: Probably the largest investigation the tribunal will undertake, the Quarryvale module will inquire into allegations that money was paid to councillors in return for their votes to rezone land at Quarryvale in west Dublin for a massive shopping centre (now the Liffey Valley centre). Like Carrickmines, the main source of the allegations is the former Government press secretary Mr Frank Dunlop, who worked as a lobbyist on both issues. The tribunal has given no indication of when it intends to hear evidence in this module.

Tom Gilmartin module: Mr Gilmartin was a UK-based Irish developer involved in earlier attempts to develop the Quarryvale site in the late 1989s. In his efforts to promote the project, he met a variety of high-ranking politicians and alleges he came under pressure to donate money. He says he paid £50,000 to former EU commissioner, Mr Padraig Flynn, an allegation Mr Flynn denies. The tribunal has given no indication when it intends to hear evidence in this module.

Frank Dunlop modules: Information provided to the tribunal by Mr Dunlop may give rise to a number of further modules. These are likely to involve rezonings in which Mr Dunlop was involved as a lobbyist in various parts of Dublin, including Cherrywood and Baldoyle.

Other modules: Many, many matters have been referred to the Flood tribunal. At the time of last year's interim report, 61 matters remained under active inquiry. However, apart from one occasion at the start of the tribunal its legal team has never indicated in advance which matters it intends to investigate in public. It is possible that the tribunal may devote time to the granting of tax designations to particular urban areas in the mid-1990s; it may also investigate allegations of planning corruption outside Dublin.