Mr Joseph Murphy jnr raised the issue of a joint venture between the Murphys and the Baileys over lands in north county Dublin with the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern, but said categorically there was no venture, the tribunal heard.
Mr Ahern said Mr Murphy had raised the issue at the meeting at Heathrow on June 24th, 1997. He [Minister] said he had not been aware of any suggestions in relation to it.
Mr Murphy had also told him that because of the state of flux in the company, it would have made no contributions to political parties. From 1992 onwards, contributions were made to party headquarters. ail and to other political parties as well.
Mr Brian O'Moore SC, for Mr James Gogarty, cross-examining the Minister, asked him if among all the rumours at that time, there was no mention whatsoever of a joint venture between the Murphys and the Baileys.
The Minister said he was surprised Mr Murphy brought the issue up, as he was not aware of a suggestion.
Mr O'Moore said that at that stage, he thought the June 8th, 1989, letter had not been published either in whole or in part.
Mr Ahern said that was correct.
Mr O'Moore said the reference to a joint venture was not known generally.
The Minister replied that the letter did not come out into the public domain until long after his meeting with Mr Murphy.
Under cross-examination by Mr Garrett Cooney SC, for the Murphy group, the Minister said Mr Murphy raised the issue of Mr Frank Connolly, a Sunday Business Post journalist.
Mr Cooney said Mr Murphy would say he showed him newspaper articles and that he told him (Minister) that Frank Connolly had spoken to him in December 1996 and in the course of that conversation the journalist alleged that part of Mr Gogarty's allegations was that the Murphys were going into a joint venture with the Baileys. Did the Minister remember that?
The Minister said he could not recall him showing newspaper cuttings. In relation to the joint venture, Mr Murphy had raised the issue. He did not recall a discussion about articles in the Sunday Business Post and Frank Connolly.
Mr Cooney said Mr Murphy had then told him that was completely untrue, that there was no such thing as a joint venture. Mr Murphy would also say that the Minister told him he received a phone call from Mr Connolly and the Minister had told him that if he had information about corruption he should go to the gardai with it.
The Minister said he did say that to Mr Connolly on one occasion.