Post by Papa C. on Jul 4, 2007 14:46:05 GMT
Only under Capitalism!
Gilmartin tells tribunal about bribes to top politicians
08/06/2007 - 13:32:05
Property developer Tom Gilmartin has been giving evidence to the Mahon Tribunal today about bribes he says were paid to several leading politicians by rival builder Owen O'Callaghan.
Mr Gilmartin has already told the tribunal that Mr O'Callaghan bragged about paying IR£80,000 to Bertie Ahern for favours in relation to the Quarryvale project.
Both Mr Ahern and Mr O'Callaghan deny that any such payments were made.
In evidence today, Mr Gilmartin said Mr O'Callaghan told him in 1989 that he had given Mr Ahern IR£50,000 at a football match that year to block a tax designation for a rival development at Blanchardstown.
He also said Mr O'Callaghan told him four years later that he had it from the horse's mouth, in other words from Mr Ahern, that the development at Blanchardstown wouldn't get a tax break.
He said Mr O'Callaghan told him that this had cost him another £30,000.
Mr Gilmartin also made a fresh allegation about another corrupt payment to Mr Ahern by Owen O'Callaghan, but Judge Alan Mahon refused to hear details of the payment because the Taoiseach's legal team has yet to be informed of it.
Elsewhere, Mr Gilmartin said Mr O'Callaghan told him he paid around IR£150,000 to former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds for tax favours in 1994.
He said Mr O'Callaghan told him Mr Reynolds was bribed to ensure a tax break for a development at Goldenisland in Athlone.
He also said Mr O'Callaghan told him he paid Enterprise Minister Micheal Martin a six-figure sum in 1994/1995 because he was being groomed to become a future Taoiseach.
Mr Reynolds and Mr Martin have denied these allegations.
