Deal was offered for dirt on Burke, says barrister

THE tribunal into planning corruption was itself accused of questionable practices yesterday after a barrister claimed he was offered a deal of leniency for his client if he helped dig the dirt on key witness, Ray Burke.

In a stinging attack on the tribunal, Dominick Hussey also claimed deadlines for producing information to the inquiry were deliberately set impossibly tight so that witnesses could not comply and could then be accused of non-cooperation and denied payment of their legal costs.

Mr Hussey represents Dublin estate agent John Finnegan who the tribunal concluded had deliberately given false information about his £10,000 contribution towards a £60,000 corrupt payment given to Ray Burke in 1984.