An Irish builder living in Britain has said he does not intend to come to the Republic if asked to give evidence to the planning tribunal concerning a reported £50,000 donation to Fianna Fail.
Mr Thomas Gilmartin was reported yesterday to have given £50,000 for the party to Ireland's European Commissioner, the former minister, Mr Padraig Flynn, in the 1980s.
Mr Flynn could not be contacted for comment yesterday but was reported in the Sunday Independent as having denied that he had received the cheque.
Asked last night if he would he give evidence to the planning tribunal if requested to do so, Mr Gilmartin said: "I don't have to give evidence. I'm outside the jurisdiction so I don't have to and if I don't have to, I won't do it."
Asked if he had given the cheque to Mr Flynn, Mr Gilmartin initially said he did not want to comment, but later added: "I had no dealings with Mr Flynn." He said: "All I know is I did nothing wrong."
There would have been nothing improper or very unusual about handing over or receiving such a cheque in this way at the time.
Yesterday, Fianna Fail declined to comment on reports that it received the £50,000 donation.
Mr Flynn was reported in the Sunday Independent yesterday as having denied that he had received the cheque for £50,000, intended as a contribution to Fianna Fail.
Mr Gilmartin was reported by newspapers yesterday to have claimed that he handed over the cheque to Mr Flynn in the 1980s, but they said the builder had not signed a statement to this effect or substantiated the claim.
According to the Sunday Independent, Mr Flynn, in a written response to questions, stated: "In common, I believe, with all TDs, senators, ministers present and former, I received a general letter from the tribunal at the outset asking if I had any information or documentation relevant to the tribunal. I responded, saying no. I have had no subsequent request, invitation, correspondence from the tribunal."
Asked if he was aware that allegations had been made to the tribunal in which his name had figured, he said, according to the newspaper: "No. Only rumours and speculation reported in newspapers. I understood tribunal investigations to be confidential."
Asked if he was the recipient of a cheque for £50,000, intended as a contribution to Fianna Fail, from a named property developer, Mr Flynn said: "No."
The Sunday Independent report added that, asked if he had any dealings with the property developer in regard to funds, Mr Flynn referred to the previous answer, that he had not received a £50,000 cheque from the developer intended as a contribution to Fianna Fail. He also referred to this answer in response to all other questions about the alleged payment, the paper reported.