The solicitor for Mr James Gogarty, the man who allegedly gave Mr Ray Burke £30,000 in his home in 1989, has said he would welcome an offer of Garda protection for his client.
In an interview with RTE radio, Mr Kevin Neary said Mr Gogarty "was concerned for his safety" and believed his fears were "well-founded".
Mr Neary said he was not aware that an offer of protection had been made, as was reported in a newspaper yesterday. Government sources also said they were unaware of such an offer.
The solicitor was speaking following fresh claims by Mr Gogarty that he gave Mr Burke a schedule of Dublin lands which he wanted rezoned and that he gave Mr Burke £40,000, not £30,000 as the Minister has maintained.
Of Mr Burke's denial that he had ever received the schedule of lands, Mr Neary said he was "entitled to deny it", but added that Mr Gogarty was prepared to make the document available to any tribunal into the matter.
Mr Gogarty has refused to sign a statement for gardai who have been investigating his claims, including those concerning Mr Burke. He has been offered immunity from prosecution if he signs but is understood to be refusing until concerns about his security are addressed.
Mr Neary said he had written to the Garda seeking clarification on several issues and was still waiting for satisfactory responses on one issue. That issue was not immunity from prosecution, but he would not comment further on the matter for legal reasons.
Mr Gogarty's concerns are understood to arise from his receipt of a number of anonymous telephone calls at his home since 1994. He has also told gardai his car was vandalised and air gun pellets were fired into his house.
Mr Gogarty believes he knows who was behind the incidents and is unhappy at the Garda response to them. The incidents did not arise from his allegations concerning Mr Burke.
Mr Neary, of Newry-based firm Donnelly Neary solicitors, also represents a group of people who are offering £10,000 for information leading to prosecutions in the planning process.
Responding to the announcement by the Taoiseach of a tribunal of inquiry into the planning history of 726 acres of land in north Co Dublin, Mr Neary said he hoped the terms of reference were "sufficiently wide to allay public concern on the issue of rezoning generally".
Of the 52 allegations about the planning process received by him, a large number were not serious allegations and the number that merited investigation would be "much more restricted".
Only six had sent their allegations to the Gardai.