An unemployed man has told a court he did not know how his parents managed to fund the building of a house on a site they had purchased at Sundrive Road, Dublin, five years ago.
Mr Paul Gantley (23) told Judge Elizabeth Dunne in the Circuit Civil Court that the house was now the family home and he had no idea how his parents were able to afford the development at a time when they were jobless and receiving unemployment benefit.
He agreed with Ms Nuala Jackson, counsel for the Criminal Assets Bureau, that the site had been bought and the house built before his parents sold their previous home at Thirlestone Terrace, Dublin, on which they had a mortgage.
Mr Gantley, who is appealing against a Criminal Assets Bureau decision to terminate his dole money two years ago, said he had never discussed family finances with his parents.
He told his counsel, Mr Patrick Dunne, that he had been receiving unemployment assistance from November 16th, 1993 until it had been reviewed by a CAB officer and withdrawn on April 7th, 1997. He had been granted unemployment assistance on the basis that his means and income had been assessed as nil.
Mr Gantley said he knew "absolutely nothing" about his parents' alleged interest in a house on South Circular Road, Dublin, or their alleged ownership of an apartment in Alicante, Spain.
Cross-examined by Ms Jackson, he also denied any knowledge of accounts his parents allegedly held with the Irish Permanent Building Society, one of which was said to be in the name of Ms Dinah Bowes, the maiden name of his mother, Ms Christina Gantley.
Earlier, the court heard that the Criminal Assets Bureau was not satisfied regarding transactions in an Irish Permanent Building Society account involving sums totalling £200,000.
Mr Gantley said he was unaware of two Irish Nationwide Building Society investment accounts allegedly associated with his parents. He told the court that since losing his unemployment assistance of £72.40 a week he at first received a weekly payment of £27.50 from the Eastern Health Board's Community Welfare Officer, but this had since increased to £68.40.
He gave his mother £40 a week for his keep and denied any benefit or privileges from capital, property or income allegedly owned by his parents. He said he did not know what he would do if his appeal went against him.
An appeal by Mr Gantley's father, James, against the termination of his own unemployment assistance was dismissed by Judge Dunne. He elected not to give evidence after she had ruled he would first have to establish his entitlement to social welfare.
Similar appeals by Ms Gantley, the couple's daughter, Sharon, and son, James jnr, are also before the court. Mr Paul Gantley's appeal is expected to end today.