Mahon hears Lawlor failed to disclose interests

Former Fianna Fáil TD Mr Liam Lawlor failed to declare interests in five property companies involved in land transactions in Dublin in his previous evidence to the Mahon tribunal, it emerged today.

In his testimony to the tribunal in December 2000, Mr Lawlor was repeatedly asked to state his interests in lands or companies connected with land deals in Dublin.

At the time Mr Lawlor told the tribunal that he owned land in Lucan and had an interest in one property company.

However the tribunal has obtained a 1995 letter from a solicitor acting on Mr Lawlor's behalf in which Mr Lawlor claims an interest in five other property companies.

The solicitor, Mr Noel Smyth, was writing to another solicitor Mr John Caldwell whom Mr Lawlor was in dispute with at the time.

Mr Lawlor claimed Mr Smyth was not acting on his instructions and that he had not been shown the letter.

Mr Smyth was pursuing Mr Caldwell over the resale of land in Lucan which involved both Mr Lawlor and beef tycoon Mr Larry Goodman.

Mr Lawlor had originally advised Mr Goodman to purchase the Coolamber lands which were located opposite Mr Lawlor's home in Lucan.

Mr Lawlor said as a neighbouring land-owner he felt the lands had "potential for developement".

Earlier the tribunal heard that Mr Lawlor failed to declare income from the sale of an acre of land in Lucan in 2000 to the Revenue.

However, Mr Lawlor said the matter of his tax liability going back a number of years had yet to be finalised and his accountants were discussing the matter with the Revenue.

Mr Lawlor was then asked why he had failed to declare an interest in a company involved in laying an underground pipeline in Lucan in his statutory declaration of interests to the Dáil in 2000.

He said his interest in the company was still in dispute and was "becoming the basis of litigation".