Central figures in the tribunal

A look at the central figures in the tribunal.

A look at the central figures in the tribunal.

Ray Burke

The central figure under investigation by the tribunal over its first five years, Mr Burke was heavily criticised in last year's interim report. It linked the former Fianna Fáil minister to a series of corrupt payments, totalling over £130,000, and accused him of hindering and obstructing the tribunal's work.

Yet in spite of this damning verdict, Mr Burke has not faced prosecution. CAB officers raided his home in Whitehall shortly after the report came out, but nothing more has been heard about the Bureau's investigations. Now retired from politics, Mr Burke passes his time watching cricket and occasionally visits friends in his old bailiwick in Swords.

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Liam Lawlor

Already jailed three times for failing to co-operate, Liam Lawlor is to find out this month if the tribunal will refer his case to the High Court. It has been considering over 11,000 pages of financial documents provided by him in July. However, Mr Lawlor is facing a new threat of criminal charges with the disclosure by Judge Mahon that the tribunal ( is also considering whether to refer "contradictory evidence" about a particular land sale given by the politician to the DPP for possible prosecution.The alleged contradiction relates to the sale of one acre of his land in Lucan, which involved a £100,000 sterling 142,000) under-the-counter payment to him.

Although his political career may be gone, Liam Lawlor is still very much in business. He stands to be a beneficiary if the major housing scheme planned for Adamstown, west Dublin, goes ahead. He has a share in the underground pipework which would serve Adamstown and, by his own calculation, he could net 2.5 million if the housing scheme goes ahead.
Michael Bailey

The Roscommon-born developer, who once chartered a helicopter to take him from the witness box of the Flood tribunal to the Galway Races, has maintained his interest in horses and high-profile racecourse socialising.

Even a substantial settlement with the Revenue Commissioners - reported to be over €5 million - has done little to dent his public persona.

His company, Bovale Developments, continues to build houses profitably, in spite of the tribunal's finding that its books were falsified for years.

His lawyers have yet to submit a bill for their legal costs and are likely to challenge any attempt by the tribunal to withhold these costs.
Oliver Barry

The showbusiness impresario and concert promoter has kept a low profile since the tribunal ruled that he corruptly paid Mr Burke £35,000 in 1989.

Friends say he is deeply aggrieved at the findings of the report.

Working from his golf club at Hollystown in west Dublin, he has embarked on a number of new projects in the entertainment field.

Joseph Murphy junior

The Irish end of the business empire built up over four decades by the late Joseph Murphy senior has all but disappeared.

However, the Murphy family fortune remains intact.

Joseph Murphy Structural Engineering, the steel erecting company, with its headquarters in Santry, has virtually ceased trading in its core business, and most of its employees are gone.

Joseph Murphy junior, whose denials of involvement in the payment by Joseph Murphy Structural Engineering to Mr Burke the tribunal did not believe, lives in England and visits Dublin only occasionally.

The Murphy interests have not furnished a bill for their legal costs at the tribunal and are likely to fight any attempt by the tribunal to impose costs on them.