The Flood tribunal is in possession of documentary evidence which conflicts with Mr Liam Lawlor's statement to the internal Fianna Fail inquiry into payments to politicians.
The Irish Times has confirmed that the tribunal possesses two letters from Mr Lawlor's constituency office in which the Dublin West TD acknowledges receiving two separate contributions from the public affairs lobbyist and former Government press secretary, Mr Frank Dunlop, in the run-up to the local elections in mid-1991.
In his evidence to the Flood tribunal on April 19th last Mr Dunlop said he handed over £40,000 in cash in a plastic bag to Mr Lawlor in 1991. This has been denied by Mr Lawlor. He admitted to the Fianna Fail inquiry team that he received about £40,000 in consultancy fees later in the 1990s.
Mr Dunlop also detailed, in evidence on the same day, how he had passed two separate donations, totalling £8,500, to Mr Lawlor in April and May 1991 - one of £5,000 to Mr Lawlor personally and the other, £3,500, to his election headquarters. The £5,000 payment was drawn in April 1991, before the £40,000 in cash, and the £3,500 cheque sometime in May 1991, according to Mr Dunlop's evidence to the Flood tribunal.
Responding to these allegations, Mr Lawlor told the Fianna Fail inquiry last Wednesday that in the June 1991 local elections "my recollection of a contribution I received was £4,000".
In a statement issued after his appearance before the Fianna Fail inquiry, Mr Lawlor went on to say: "I note from media comments that Frank Dunlop has claimed he made two contributions totalling £8,500."
He then appeared to enter a caveat by adding: "I would have issued a standard receipt and acknowledgement, and if those two cheques are available I can obviously address the matter."
Referring to these payments, Mr Dunlop, in cross-examination at the Flood tribunal on April 19th, said: "I may well be able to assist you in this matter by reference to correspondence." Asked if he had correspondence he was in a position to provide, Mr Dunlop replied: "Not at the moment, but from recollection I am fairly certain there was correspondence." He undertook to make this available to his solicitor for transmission to the tribunal.
It has been confirmed that copies of two letters of acknowledgement of separate donations of £5,000 and £3,500 in 1991 are in the possession of the Flood tribunal. The letters were sent from Mr Lawlor's election headquarters to Mr Dunlop.
The £5,000 donation for the local elections in 1991 is distinct from the £5,000 contribution which Mr Lawlor, in his statement, said Mr Dunlop made to him during the November 1992 general election campaign.
