An Ansbacher account was the source of a sum of £200,000 lodged to a Guinness & Mahon account in Mr Charles Haughey's name in 1983, the tribunal was told yesterday, but the former Taoiseach said he knew nothing about these transfers.
Mr John Coughlan SC, for the tribunal, was examining a G & M account in Mr Haughey's name from February 1979 to June 1987. One lodgement was for £200,000 and dated January 4th, 1983. Mr Coughlan said a G & M memo from Mr Padraig Collery to Mr Des Traynor stated: "I have debited G & M Cayman Trust Sundry Sub Company account with £182,430.85 and credited GMCT "S". I have also debited GMCT "S" with Sterling £173,600 and credited IR £200,000 as per advice".
Mr Coughlan said £173,000 sterling was converted to £200,000 on January 4th 1983. The account in Mr Haughey's name showed the identical sum was credited on the same day and no other G & M account was credited with the sum that day.
Mr Coughlan asked Mr Haughey if he accepted that particular analysis: "Well, I'm not in a position either to accept or reject because I know nothing about these transfers back and forward, I'm afraid," Mr Haughey answered, adding that Mr Des Peelo, his accountant, might be of assistance about the transactions.
Mr Coughlan said it appeared some of the money, £154,433.88, from the Cayman account in Dublin was used to discharge an amount due on a loan from the Northern Bank Finance Corporation (NBFC). "I cannot say," said Mr Haughey.
Mr Coughlan said in the G & M account, some monies were lodged by way of cheques and some by way of, for example, in the case of NBFC, a loan for £150,000 put into the account when it was overdrawn. There was also the possibility of loans from the ACC, and the money from the Caymans account.
"I'm afraid I can't comment on that," Mr Haughey said. He would accept the tribunal's assessment. Mr Coughlan said Mr Haughey had raised the possibility that Mr Traynor might have obtained loans to make a £450,000 payment to AIB. "I can't give you a definitive answer to that, Mr Coughlan, I'm sorry I can't," Mr Haughey said.