Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan has said he had absolutely no knowledge of a lodgment of over £28,000 to the account of Celia Larkin, former partner of ex-taoiseach Bertie Ahern, in December 1994.
Mr O'Callaghan said he had no information in connection with the lodgment.
The planning tribunal is questioning Mr O'Callaghan as part of the Quarryvale II module, an investigation into allegations of corruption surrounding the rezoning of land on which the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre is built.
Counsel for the tribunal Patricia Dillon SC said Mr O'Callaghan's lobbyist Frank Dunlop, travelled to New York in November 1994 for a Fianna Fáil fundraiser and also to meet American financiers Chilton & O'Connor.
At the time, the financiers were considering backing a proposal Mr O'Callaghan had to develop a national stadium in west Dublin.
Mr O'Callaghan said he knew nothing about Mr Dunlop's trip or his meeting with Chilton & O'Connor.
Ms Dillon told the tribunal that on December 5th that year, £28,772.90 was lodged to Ms Larkin's account. The tribunal had heard that the money was the proceeds of sterling brought to Dublin by Manchester-based businessman Micheal Wall, toward the purchase of a house in Drumcondra.
Ms Dillon said AIB official, John Garrett gave evidence that AIB only bought £1,921.53 worth of sterling on December 5th. She said Mr Garrett had explained that if $45,000 had been exchanged on that day, it would have equated to £28,772.90. She asked Mr O'Callaghan if he had any information how that might have come about.
"Absolutely not," Mr O'Callaghan said.
The tribunal was also told that Mr Dunlop was too afraid of Fianna Fail Deputy Mary O'Rourke to ask her about tax designation for Golden Island Shopping Centre in Athlone. The centre was being developed by Mr O'Callaghan.
Mr o'Callaghan said he had heard a story that his then partner in the project, Tom Diskin, had gone to Ms O'Rourke's home to request that she support their campaign for tax designation, which would give tax breaks to investors in the project.
"When he called to her house he put his hand on her shoulder or something like that and she called the gardai," Mr O'Callaghan said.
"There was some sort of hassle, that's as much as I know about it."
