Lawlor to bid for contracts in Iraq

DISGRACED former Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor intends to make a bid for multi-million euro contracts in war-ravaged Iraq.

The fallen politician, one of the main targets of the Flood Tribunal who has judgements totalling €848,745 registered against him, intends to reactivate his old Middle Eastern contacts.

Mr Lawlor, who visited Baghdad during Saddam Hussein’s reign of terror, is hoping for a slice of the post-invasion Iraqi pie in the American and European bid for business.

Yesterday, Mr Lawlor said he had been contacted by people he knew in Baghdad since before the Iran-Iraq war “and I am contemplating travelling out there once things become more normal”.

He believed a “tremendous amount of sub-contract opportunities” would open up in Iraq once basic services had been restored.

In the past, he was involved in the cold storage and food processing sector when Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq.His contacts in Iraq were mostly business people and former civil servants, a very competent team of people, he said.

Late last month, judgements were registered against the home of Mr Lawlor. The total registered against the Lucan, Co Dublin home is now €848,745.

These judgements were from the Flood Tribunal and from the builder Mr Seamus Ross, of Menolly Homes and Menolly Properties Ltd.

All of the judgements against Mr Lawlor's home arise from legal bills which have to be paid. Mr Lawlor’s home, Somerton, a large Georgian house on eight acres, is believed to be worth much more than the total amount registered against it. The judgement mortgages have to be settled before Mr Lawlor can receive the proceeds from any sale of the property.

The judgement registered on behalf of Mr Ross is for €154,415 and arises from costs incurred during a Supreme Court hearing in December, 2001.

The court dismissed a claim by Mr Lawlor that he had an agreement with Mr Ross whereby he would get a 20% stake in a joint venture company set up to acquire and develop lands bought for €19 million in West Co Dublin.

Earlier this year, Mr Lawlor’s former solicitor, Mr Dermot Coyne, who has a practice in Lucan, Co Dublin, registered a mortgage for €265,384 arising from fees incurred during tribunal hearings.

Mr Lawlor has been sent to prison three times and for a total of six weeks for not co-operating with the tribunal.