AIB and property developer Owen O'Callaghan brought in former Fianna Fáil press secretary Frank Dunlop to advise on the Quarryvale shopping centre scheme over the head of Tom Gilmartin, the tribunal heard yesterday.
Mr Gilmartin told tribunal counsel Pat Quinn SC that he "harboured a dim view" of Mr Dunlop and believed he was a "bagman for politicians on the take", but was "set up" by Mr O'Callaghan and the bank.
He said he had not intended to meet Mr Dunlop in April 1991, but was summoned to a meeting at the bank. When he arrived there was no meeting scheduled. The bank officials indicated they wished him to go to Leinster House with Owen O'Callaghan, who now had a stake in the Quarryvale development, to meet politicians, he said.
"They said it was important we show unity to the politicians," he said. He recounted how he took a taxi with Mr O'Callaghan to Buswell's hotel in Dublin, where Liam Lawlor was waiting. They followed Mr Lawlor into Leinster House and out the back door, to Mr Dunlop's office in Mount Street. He was then told to sit at a table while the other men went into another room and had a discussion. But after 20 minutes he grew tired of waiting and left the office.
Mr O'Callaghan then followed Mr Gilmartin out into the street and asked what was wrong with him, he replied it was "some form of a set up" and he didn't want to be part of it. He then took a lift back to Ballsbridge with Mr O'Callaghan and Mr Dunlop.
The tribunal heard that money had been paid from Barkhill Ltd, Mr Gilmartin's company, to Dunlop & Associates and Shefran Ltd, owned by Mr Dunlop, in 1991.
Mr Gilmartin said he never discussed needing a lobbyist with the bank and when he discovered that payments had been made without his knowledge, he challenged the bank and was told "we have money at risk here and we'll employ anyone we effin' well like".
