Lawlor has `no intention' of giving evidence

The former Fianna Fail TD, Mr Liam Lawlor, has been called to give evidence at the Flood tribunal next week, but says he has "no intention" of appearing.

Mr Lawlor told The Irish Times yesterday his solicitors would be responding in detail to the tribunal's call for him to appear in Dublin Castle next Tuesday.

He said there had been extensive correspondence between the tribunal and his legal team recently but he did not know why he was being ordered to give evidence. "I don't know what it is about and I don't propose to appear. They certainly didn't specify what it was about," he said.

The tribunal's decision to call Mr Lawlor is unusual because it is currently hearing evidence from a long list of witnesses regarding the awarding of a broadcasting licence to Century Radio.

Mr Lawlor resigned from Fianna Fail last June after a ail party inquiry accused him of being unco-operative and contradictory.

He has launched a number of legal challenges against the tribunal's right to inquire into his affairs or to compel him to appear in private.

Mr Frank Dunlop told the tribunal last April that he handed more than £40,000 in cash in a plastic bag to Mr Lawlor in 1991. This has been denied by Mr Lawlor.

He told the Fianna Fail inquiry he received about £40,000 in consultancy fees later in the 1990s.

Mr Dunlop has also alleged he made two separate donations totalling £8,500 to Mr Lawlor in April and May 1991.

Mr Lawlor told the Fianna Fail inquiry he recollected getting a contribution of about £4,000. In total, he said he received more than £10,000 from Mr Dunlop.

Over the summer, the tribunal wrote to financial institutions throughout the State in search of accounts held by Mr Lawlor.

The tribunal is also investigating the payment by the Luton-based property developer, Mr Tom Gilmartin, of £3,500 a month over a 10-month period to the TD. Mr Lawlor initially described these as consultancy fees, but later described them as political donations.

The tribunal resumes today with the appearance of Gay Byrne, who will give evidence on his relations with Century Radio.

Mr Byrne was involved in early discussions with the promoters of Century before the consortium made a formal application for the first national commercial radio licence in December 1988.

Century's co-founder, Mr Oliver Barry, made intense efforts to entice Mr Byrne from his job in RTE to join the new venture. Mr Barry offered Mr Byrne £1 million to join but he negotiated an improved salary with RTE and opted to stay put.

Also today, the tribunal intends to call five Bank of Ireland executives who dealt with Century's account during its two-year existence.