Mr Seamus Pairceir, the former chairman of the Revenue Commissioners, resigned as chairman of the Custom House Docks Development Authority in September 1991 after comments made on radio by Mr Charles Haughey.
During the course of an RTE interview concerning the former Johnston, Mooney and O'Brien site at Ballsbridge, Dublin, Mr Haughey said he thought it would be "prudent" if Mr Pairceir and a number of other parties were to "step aside" pending an investigation into dealings concerning the site.
Mr Pairceir was in his car driving towards Belfast when he heard the interview and was "absolutely shocked". He subsequently resigned as he said there was no provision for him to step aside temporarily.
During the interview Mr Haughey also suggested that Mr Michael Smurfit, then chairman of Telecom Eireann, as well as National City Brokers and Investment Bank of Ireland, step aside from various involvements "until everything is completed" in relation to investigating the site.
Mr Pairceir was chairman of United Property Holdings, the company which bought the Ballsbridge site from Johnston, Mooney and O'Brien, and sold it on before it eventually ended up in the ownership of Telecom Eireann.
During the interview Mr Haughey said Mr Pairceir was "an impeccable man with a good, fine record in the public service", and that his comments in relation to the affair were made "without any implication, the slightest scintilla or suggestion that there is anything wrong".
