Flynn offered no favours in return for £50,000
Mr Gilmartin’s statement to the tribunal contains the allegation that Mr Flynn specifically sought a “substantial donation” from him when he met the former minister in February, 1989, and complained to him that George Redmond and Liam Lawlor were behind a campaign to frustrate his attempts to develop Quarryvale.
Mr Gilmartin says Mr Flynn said very little except to suggest that a donation, which Mr Gilmartin understood would be for the Fianna Fáil party, might help “curb the activities of Mr Redmond and Mr Lawlor”.
Mr Gilmartin says he did not know at the time how much “substantial” meant and he did not accede to the request, but several months later when he was still encountering difficulties with the development, he arranged a meeting with Mr Flynn at which he gave the minister a cheque for £50,000.
Mr Gilmartin says that meeting took place in Mr Flynn’s office at Customs House, the headquarters of the Department of the Environment, on the evening of Friday, June 2. He did not know who to make the cheque out to, but Mr Flynn just gestured to his desk and said: “Leave it there” so he left without inserting the name of the payee.
Mr Flynn, however, will give evidence that the meeting took place in Leinster House in May, 1989, and that it was arranged to discuss Bachelors Walk. In his account of the meeting, he says the cheque, which he initially thought was for just £5,000, was made out to “cash” and that it was to help with his election expenses.
He says he told Mr Gilmartin he could not help him with his development and that Mr Gilmartin replied that he did not want help, that he knew Mr Flynn was a “straight and honourable person” and that he knew how expensive election campaigns were.
Mr Flynn lodged the cheque with the AIB in Castlebar and said he was the sole beneficiary of it.
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