A Sunday Independent journalist, Jody Corcoran, told the High Court yesterday that a property developer, Mr Tom Gilmartin, was "incensed" by remarks made by the former European commissioner and government minister, Mr Padraig Flynn, about Mr Gilmartin during Mr Flynn's appearance on The Late Late Show in early 1999.
Mr Corcoran said it was then that Mr Gilmartin became adamant that he was going to give evidence to the Flood tribunal. There had been some doubt if Mr Gilmartin would give evidence to the tribunal up to that point.
During Mr Flynn's "infamous" Late Late Show appearance on January 15th, 1999, Mr Flynn was asked by Gay Byrne about an allegation relating to a £50,000 donation, Mr Corcoran said.
It seemed Mr Flynn was "skirting around" answering the question.
Mr Corcoran said he remembered Mr Flynn saying Tom Gilmartin's wife was not well. He rang Mr Gilmartin at his home in Luton. Mr Gilmartin was also watching the show and was incensed by Mr Flynn's remarks.
Mr Corcoran was giving evidence on the eighth day of the action by Fianna Fβil's national organiser, Mr Sean Sherwin, against the Sunday Independent over an article by Mr Corcoran on February 14th, 1999. Mr Sherwin claims the article meant he wrongfully solicited money from Mr Gilmartin for his sister-in-law, Catherine Sherwin, who had stood as a candidate in local elections. Mr Gilmartin has told the court that, around June 1988, he told Mr Flynn, then minister for the environment, that he had decided to give the party a donation and wrote out a cheque for £50,000. A copy of that cheque was presented to him by the Flood tribunal. In the area left blank was the word "cash" and the sum had been taken out of his account.
Mr Corcoran said that after Mr Flynn's Late Late Show appearance, Mr Gilmartin was interviewed by Charlie Bird of RT╔. Mr Corcoran said he wrote a further story, and the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, made a Dβil statement in late January 1999.
Earlier Mr Corcoran said that, in connection with a story he had written in September 1998, he had made attempts to contact Mr Flynn to see if he wanted to speak about Mr Gilmartin, but his call was not returned.
Later that week he went to Luton to meet Mr Gilmartin. Mr Corcoran said he drafted questions which he faxed to Mr Flynn in his Brussels office asking about Mr Gilmartin's allegations and if it was true he had received a £50,000 donation intended for Fianna Fβil. Mr Flynn denied that.
Mr Garrett Cooney SC, for Mr Sherwin, put it to Mr Corcoran that unless people pleaded their innocence, Mr Corcoran regarded them as guilty. Mr Corcoran said that was not so.
Evidence in the case concluded yesterday, and closing speeches by counsel will begin today.