A claim that Mr Joseph Murphy snr was panicked into selling lands in north Co Dublin and bribed Mr Ray Burke because of allegations about his tax affairs was discounted by the Murphy Group founder in evidence.
Mr Murphy in his evidence in Guernsey earlier this month agreed with his counsel that events, established in documentation, showed there were moves to sell the lands before the allegations were made. Also, one site at Forest Road had been sold the previous year, 1988.
The claim that Mr Murphy was panicked into getting rid of his assets in the jurisdiction and as a result bribed Mr Burke was made by Mr James Gogarty. Mr Murphy said the allegations were made only three months before an alleged payment was made to Mr Burke. He reaffirmed that he had never sought or obtained any favours from Mr Ray Burke, the former minister for foreign affairs, or from Mr George Redmond, the former Dublin city and county manager.
The allegations about Mr Murphy's tax affairs were made in an affidavit by a former Murphy group chief executive, Mr Liam Conroy, now deceased, in litigation in the Isle of Man. These allegations were later withdrawn in a settlement agreement with the group.
In his evidence, read from transcripts by the registrar, Mr Peter Kavanagh, in Dublin yesterday, Mr Murphy said he was not panicked at all into selling the lands to get rid of his assets.
"Conroy fantasised," he said.
Mr Murphy agreed with his counsel, Mr Garrett Cooney SC, who said Mr Conroy claimed he had qualifications and experience which were false. In the affidavit Mr Conroy said he had a science degree and was an architect in Dublin. He did have the science degree, but worked in the Sugar company in Tuam as a scientist. To say he was an architect was demonstrably false.
Mr Conroy had also claimed he had qualifications in engineering and architecture and a higher degree in engineering from Cambridge University. These claims were also false. He had said he was a qualified airline pilot and had worked for British Airways. There was no record that he had a licence or that he worked for BA.
"And one of the other fantastical claims he made, he was engaged in Formula 2 motor-car racing and had shared a flat with Gilles Villeneuve, the racing car driver, and that claimed to be a fantasy on Mr Conroy's part,' said Mr Cooney. Mr Murphy agreed.
Mr Cooney asked Mr Murphy if he was satisfied there was no truth in the allegations that because of Revenue offences he was getting rid of his assets in the State.
"There were no arrears of taxes anywhere," Mr Murphy said.
He agreed that he never sold his one personal asset, a mews house at Wilton Lodge, Dublin, and that the assets of the company would not have been subject to seizure even if there was a tax liability.
"There were no tax liabilities," Mr Murphy added.