Witness says Burke had nothing to do with Dublin lands

The former minister, Mr Ray Burke, had nothing to do with obtaining planning permission for lands in Sandyford which were owned by a company that paid him large sums of money, the tribunal has been told.

Neither was Mr Burke asked to help secure planning permission for the land owned by Canio Ltd, the builder, Mr Tom Brennan, has said.

Canio, which paid Mr Burke £75,000 in 1984 and 1985, was owned by Brennan and McGowan, and the auctioneer, Mr John Finnegan.

Mr Brennan was asked yesterday about remarks made by his colleague, Mr Joe McGowan, which appear to link Mr Burke to the sale of the lands.

In a conversation secretly recorded by their solicitor, Mr George Russell, in July 1985, Mr McGowan claimed that "everybody is behind this sale, Ray Burke, the whole works". Later on he said: "Tom Brennan has gone out to Ray Burke . . . [word missing] Sandyford and is probably there at the moment".

The July 1985 meeting was called to resolve a dispute over the lands involving Brennan and McGowan, Mr Russell and two financial institutions. A sale to Dun Laoghaire Corporation was mooted.

Mr Pat Hanratty SC, for the tribunal, said the comments showed Mr Burke was sufficiently familiar with the Sandyford lands as to communicate that he was behind a sale. "All this suggests Mr Burke had some kind of involvement in the Sandyford lands," he said.

Mr Brennan said he couldn't recollect talking to Mr Burke about this matter.

At the time the lands didn't have planning permission, as there were plans to put a motorway through them. Mr Brennan said he was opposed to the sale to the corporation, which was offering "peanuts". He felt Canio could get much more from another builder.

"You could get planning permission on it without any problem if you got the roadline," he said.

It was "inconceivable" that the witness could not recall what he had discussed with Mr Burke, according to Mr Hanratty.

Counsel pointed out that Mr Brennan's diary showed that he had had seven meetings with the Minister around this time. Mr Brennan knew very well what he was doing with Mr Burke but was declining to tell the tribunal, he said.

The corporation withdrew its offer for the lands, which were eventually sold to a number of other developers in the years that followed. Brennan and McGowan later bought out Mr Finnegan's interest in Canio for £700,000.

Mr Hanratty having completed his questioning of the witness, the tribunal adjourned the beginning of Mr Brennan's cross-examination until Friday.