MR LOWRY said he had never sought to have a District Court case involving a
Dunnes Stores outlet in Cork adjourned. Last Monday Mr Bernard Walsh, who was at the time manager of Dunnes Stores in Ballyvolane, Co Cork, told the tribunal of contacting Mr Lowry in May 1995 in connection with a summons he had received from the Department of Agriculture concerning the sale of potatoes unfit for consumption.
He told the tribunal he had contacted Mr Lowry seeking information and an adjournment.
Mr Lowry told Mr Denis McCullough of being contacted by Mr Walsh, who was confused about receiving a summons from the Department, rather than from the Southern Health Board as was more normal. Mr Walsh was also concerned about the timescale involved.
Mr Lowry spoke about the issue with an official in the Department, who told him the local Chief State Solicitor's office was likely to be dealing with it.
Mr Lowry telephoned the Chief State Solicitor's office in Cork. Mr Lowry was a Minister at the time but his special adviser was not in place. Whoever answered the phone told him the case had been adjourned. Mr Lowry had passed this information on to Mr Walsh. He had also advised him to contact the company's solicitors.
It was not the case that he had put on pressure for an adjournment. Mr Lowry said he dealt with hundreds of inquiries every week. He had been successful as a politician and had been re-elected in the recent election "against a very difficult background" with 11,637 votes. The reason he got those votes was because he looked after representations. "That's the way the political system works."
Asked if he did not believe it might be improper for a minister to be calling the State Solicitor's office in that way, Mr Lowry said the public did not distinguish between TDs and ministers.
Mr Justice McCracken said in the last few elections it had become recognised that ministers could lose their seats if they did not look after their constituencies. Mr Lowry said ministers had to look after their ministries but also to keep an eye on "the back door" to ensure they are re- elected.