THE TRIAL of former Dublin assistant county manager, George Redmond, charged with receiving a bribe in return for purchasing development land, has heard he was originally reluctant to buy.
Former Dublin county manager Frank Feeley said Mr Redmond signed the order in 1980 for the purchase of the land at Buzzardstown, in northwest Dublin, but the transfer was not completed until 1985.
Mr Redmond (83) denies receiving £10,000 from the late Patrick Dunne, a Fianna Fáil councillor, on a date between October 10th, 1985, and June 26th, 1989, as an inducement or reward for doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of the compulsory purchase order (CPO) and to receiving the £10,000 “as a reward for showing favour to another” in relation to the same land. Mr Feeley agreed with defence counsel, Brendan Grehan SC (with Angus Buttanshaw BL), that a letter written by Mr Redmond to “J Fitzgerald, Finance Officer” with Dublin County Council in August 1987 indicated he originally did not want to complete the purchase.
Mr Redmond stated in the letter that he was under the impression the council had no intention of completing the compulsory purchase order as it already had enough land for housing needs.
Mr Feeley said the reluctance was in character for him. “Mr Redmond was not a man who handed over money easily. That’s not a criticism, he was trying to protect the assets of the council. There was always conflict between him and Dublin Corporation over handing over money.”