Mahon tribunal: Tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon has threatened a son of businessman Phil Monahan with High Court proceedings unless he provides more information about his late father's business affairs.
Judge Mahon accused Paul Monahan of being evasive with the tribunal and said he had failed to give full and frank evidence as required by law. Mr Monahan is the managing director of Monarch Properties, which was founded over 30 years ago by his father, who died in 2003.
The tribunal is investigating allegations of bribery surrounding the rezoning of Monarch's land at Cherrywood in south Dublin, as well as donations made by the company to almost 70 politicians.
Yesterday, Mr Monahan (40) told the tribunal he had no detailed knowledge of his father's business dealings between 1990 and 2001, when he became MD of Monarch. He also denied any knowledge of his father's relationship with Liam Lawlor and other politicians, Monarch's involvement in Cherrywood or his father's dealings with the tribunal. But the judge said it was extraordinary and ridiculous that the witness was saying he knew so little about his father's affairs. It wasn't good enough for Mr Monahan to say this when he was the "heir" to his father's business. Surely the topic must have been discussed around the dinner table in the family home, the judge asked.
Judge Gerald Keys said the witness was painting a picture in which he knew nothing about his father's business. Mr Monahan was being set up as heir-elect of the group of companies and yet his father never explained to him what the companies did or what directors were involved.
Mr Monahan explained that he ran his own business in the 1990s. It wasn't his father's way of operating to sit down and explain the structure of his business. His father's health had deteriorated after 2001 and he spent more than a year recovering from a heart attack. Judge Mahon said the tribunal wasn't satisfied with the information provided by his son. On the balance of probabilities, Mr Monahan had more detailed information than he had given. The chairman said he would give Mr Monahan an opportunity to add to his evidence but if more information was not provided, he could be referred to the High Court.
Mark Sanfey SC, for Monarch and Mr Monahan, said his client stood over his evidence and insisted it was truthful. He said he would see if ways could be found of providing further information.
Meanwhile, Monarch shredded over three-quarters of a tonne of confidential documents just months after coming under investigation by the tribunal, it emerged. Dominic Glennane, former chief financial officer of Monarch, told the tribunal there was nothing sinister about the shredding of 819kg of documents in September 2000.
Patricia Dillon SC, for the tribunal, pointed out that the documents were shredded three months after the tribunal had written to the late Mr Monahan and five months after Frank Dunlop's revelations about bribes to councillors. Monarch had employed Mr Dunlop to lobby for the rezoning of Cherrywood.
Mr Glennane said although he hadn't made the decision to shred the documents it was normal practice to do this regularly. Mr Monahan, who died in 2003, may have wanted to clear space in his house for his collection of vintage cars.
Ms Dillon said the late Mr Lawlor received up to £95,800 from Monarch, much of it in secret, hidden payments funnelled to the politician through shelf companies.
Mr Glennane said he hadn't authorised the payments and he denied there was collusion in the company to funnel payments to Mr Lawlor.
