Redmond 'deliberately obstructed' Gilmartin at meeting

MAHON TRIBUNAL: Former assistant Dublin city and county manager George Redmond "deliberately obstructed" developer Mr Tom Gilmartin at a meeting between council officials and the developer's professional team in 1989, the Mahon tribunal has heard.

Mr Richard Forman, an English property consultant employed by Mr Gilmartin to develop his projects at Quarryvale and Bachelor's Walk, also said Redmond fought with his fellow officials during the meeting in Redmond's office.

His account of the controversial meeting tallies with that given by Mr Gilmartin in earlier evidence.

Mr Forman said that before the meeting with Redmond, Mr Gilmartin rang over to confirm his team's arrival, only to be told that no meeting had been scheduled. Mr Gilmartin and his group were completely taken aback by this, he said, as the meeting should have been an uncontroversial one centred on technical issues for Quarryvale, such as road access. He described Mr Gilmartin as being "disappointed, surprised and annoyed".

The meeting was reorganised for the afternoon. Before it started, Redmond had an "altercation" with one of his officials and exchanged "stern words" with his fellow assistant manager, Mr Seán Haughey.

Mr Gilmartin has told the tribunal that Mr Haughey asked Redmond: "What's your game, George?" Yesterday, Mr Forman recalled Redmond replying that Mr Haughey had better "ask your brother" (the Taoiseach, Charles Haughey) if he wanted to know what was going on. To this Mr Haughey retorted: "I'm not my brother's keeper."

According to the witness, Redmond was "at best offhand, at worst rude" during the meeting. He formed the opinion that Redmond was being "deliberately obstructive", which was surprising given the size of the investment proposed.

Mr Forman said Mr Gilmartin had told him he met Mr Charles Haughey during this period. However, he couldn't recall the details. Asked if Mr Gilmartin had told him about the difficulties he was facing, Mr Forman said it was clear that there was "political resistance" in the latter stages of his projects. Mr Gilmartin may have told him he was being asked for money. However, Mr Gilmartin was "slightly embarrassed" about describing to an Englishman what was happening back in his home country.

Mr Forman also recalled visiting Mr Liam Lawlor in his home in Lucan along with Mr Gilmartin. Mr Lawlor left them in no doubt as to how important he felt he was, the witness said. The "clear implication" was that the politician was key to securing support and approval for Mr Gilmartin's plans at Quarryvale.

After the meeting, Mr Lawlor asked for a word in private with Mr Gilmartin. Some time later, Mr Gilmartin told him that Mr Lawlor had looked for "an involvement" in the project in return for his support.

Mr Forman said he and Mr Gilmartin met Mr Pádraig Flynn in relation to the Bachelor's Walk development. Mr Flynn was keen to support the regeneration of the area and seemed supportive of the proposals. He gave the impression that the extension of the designation on the site sought by Mr Gilmartin was logical.

Earlier, the project engineer on the Quarryvale development, Mr John Higgins, said Mr Gilmartin never spoke about people demanding money from him.

Mr Gilmartin had told him he didn't want to deal with Mr Liam Lawlor, but he never gave any reason why. He never complained about George Redmond.

Mr Higgins' note of a meeting with the developer from May 1989 records Mr Gilmartin as saying he didn't want to deal with county councillors.

Mr Gerry Rice, former private secretary to Mr Pádraig Flynn when he was minister for the environment, told the tribunal he had no recollection of a meeting between Mr Flynn and Mr Gilmartin in the Custom House in June 1989.

Mr Gilmartin has given evidence that he gave Mr Flynn a £50,000 cheque at a short meeting in the minister's office in the Custom House.