FORMER FIANNA Fáil fundraiser Des Richardson did not inform the party's financial controller of a $10,000 donation he received in 1994, the Mahon tribunal heard yesterday.
Deputy Seán Fleming, who was financial controller for Fianna Fáil from 1982 to 1997, said he was "absolutely satisfied" that he only found out about the donation in 2007 when he was informed by the tribunal.
He said Mr Richardson breached practice and procedures by not lodging the cash to the party's account.
The tribunal heard that Mr Richardson was given $10,000 cash in an envelope by businessman Norman Turner in Manchester in May, 1994. He told the tribunal he converted the money into IR£6,780 and put the cash in his safe. He said he later used it to pay Castle Manor Software for fundraising expenses. He told the tribunal he informed Mr Fleming of the donation and gave a note to the party stating that there had been a $10,000 donation.
Mr Fleming said yesterday the donation should have been lodged to the party's fundraising account in Bank of Ireland, set up in 1993 when Mr Richardson was appointed fundraiser.
He said former taoiseach Bertie Ahern, who was then the party's treasurer, knew Mr Richardson and appointed him to the position to help clear the party's £3 million debt. The party agreed to pay him £5,000 a month plus expenses.
Counsel for the tribunal, Henry Murphy SC, asked Mr Fleming if he recalled Mr Richardson telling him "verbally or in writing" about the donation at the time . "It didn't happen," Mr Fleming said.
Mr Murphy asked if he had seen the note, already on record, which mentioned the donation in the context of another matter.
Mr Fleming said he did not see the note until he looked at the party's files after the tribunal had contacted him. He said it was given to Fianna Fáil, but not until Mr Richardson had left his position in 1999, when it was sent to headquarters with all of his files.
Businessman Harry Dobson told the tribunal he did not promise lobbyist Frank Dunlop shares in the Citywest development in return for loaning £28,000 to the late Liam Lawlor.
Mr Dunlop had said that at a meeting in his office with Mr Lawlor and Mr Dobson in 1992, Mr Lawlor had asked for a loan. Mr Dunlop had agreed to give it after Mr Dobson said he would give him a share in Citywest in return.
