Gilmartin felt he was being 'messed about'

A former Fianna Fáil senator has told the Mahon tribunal that property developer Mr Tom Gilmartin complained to him in 1989 of being put under pressure for money.

Mr Willie Farrell said he believed these demands for money were "unlawful" and "improper".

Mr Farrell, a former Senator and Sligo county councillor, said he has known Mr Gilmartin since childhood, as they had been neighbours growing up. He described Mr Gilmartin as "a hard-working man . . . who came up the hard way, like myself".

Mr Farrell told the tribunal he met Mr Gilmartin in early 1989 and he explained he was having difficulties in getting a number of developments off the ground.

"I felt it was a problem with the planning authorities he was having," Mr Farrell said. He did not recollect Mr Gilmartin mentioning anyone in particular who was causing him problems.

The witness said Mr Gilmartin told him the price for certain properties he had agreed with Dublin County Council was not being honoured. "He felt he was being messed about," he said.

He said he suggested Mr Gilmartin should meet Mr Seán Gilbride. He said he felt Mr Gilbride, as a Dublin county councillor, could speak to the county manager on Mr Gilmartin's behalf.

Mr Farrell said the developer told him about a meeting he had with a number of senior Fianna Fáil figures in Leinster House in February 1989. He had no recollection, however, of Mr Gilmartin telling him he had been asked to lodge £5 million in an Isle of Man bank account outside this meeting.

"I remember him telling me he was being asked for money and he said he told them they made the 'friendly' Mafia look like monks," he said.

Ms Patrica Dillon SC, for the tribunal, asked him if he regarded these demands for money as unlawful? "Of course they were unlawful," he answered. However, he did not advise Mr Gilmartin to go to the gardaí. Asked why not, he said: "I'm not a legal adviser . . . why would I?"

Mr Farrell told Mr Hugh O'Neill SC, for Mr Gilmartin, he had "no interest" in finding out who was asking his friend for money. He was more concerned that he should "be getting justice", he said. He only remembered Mr Gilmartin saying he was being squeezed for money because of the language he had used. "If he hadn't mentioned the monks, I wouldn't have remembered it at all."

Former Fianna Fáil minister Mr Ray Burke has now taken the stand.