Agent says he never received 'a penny' of #1m fee

Mahon Tribunal: The land agent engaged by businessman Mr Jim Kennedy to acquire land at Carrickmines in south Dublin said he never received "a penny" of the £1 million fee he was promised.

Mr Sam Stanley said he did not have the resources or the courage to take on Mr Kennedy in the High Court, where Mr Kennedy's reputation was "formidable". Legal proceedings were unlikely to result in any benefit to him, he believed.

Mr Stanley told his solicitors in 1991 that Mr Kennedy specialised in court actions designed to delay matters: "It's the air that he breathes."

He characterised Mr Kennedy as boastful, manipulative and dishonest in his dealings.

According to the witness, "Jim Kennedy would put legs on lies and would have them running out before you like leprechauns". He compared Mr Kennedy to the cartoon character, Bart Simpson, who says: "I didn't do it. Nobody saw me do it and you can't prove I did it."

He said he felt he was "just another victim" of Mr Kennedy and that he would never get paid. The only way to deal with the money owed to him was by means of "publicity", Mr Stanley told his solicitor in the early 1990s.

He recalled there was an attempt on Mr Kennedy's life in 1992. Two gunmen broke down the solid teak door of his house in Weston Park, Lucan, with a sledgehammer. They went upstairs but found their access blocked by a steel door. They then returned downstairs and fired shots through the ceiling before escaping.

Mr Stanley concluded from this "bizarre and dramatic situation" that someone was out to "get" Mr Kennedy. He feared that he would never be paid his money.

The financial dispute between the two men dated back to 1984, when Mr Stanley was engaged to acquire land in Carrickmines on behalf of Mr Kennedy.

A 108-acre farm owned by local farmer Mr Bob Tracey was purchased for £700,000 five years later, but the deal was marked by a series of disagreements between the parties.

Mr Stanley says his client promised to pay him £1 million once planning permission had been obtained on the land, although he never believed he would get this money.

Instead of receiving a direct payment, he was given the 20 per cent share in Paisley Park Investments, an offshore vehicle set up to buy the land. This was held by Xenon, a company registered in the British Virgin Islands.

However, Paisley Park was wound up in 1992 and a new company, Jackson Way, was set up. Mr Stanley was excluded from ownership of the new company and offered just £7,000 for his interest in Paisley Park.