Redmond rejects payroll allegation

CONVICTED former council official George Redmond has rejected allegations that he was “on the payroll” of a property developer while working with Dublin County Council in the late 1980s.

Mr Redmond took issue with claims by another developer, Tom Gilmartin, at the Mahon Tribunal yesterday, that he had deliberately interfered with the businessman's plans to develop a major shopping centre at Quarryvale in order to help a rival project.

Mr Gilmartin told the inquiry that he had been informed by other council officials in 1989 that Mr Redmond who was then assistant city and county manager was being paid by another developer, Green Property. The witness maintained that the company's managing director, John Corcoran, had made a spurious bid to counter his offer to buy council-owned land at Quarryvale based on information he had been given by Mr Redmond.

He also claimed Mr Redmond had abruptly cancelled an important meeting with him and his British partners to discuss the Quarryvale project.

Mr Gilmartin claimed Mr Redmond had been engaged as a consultant with Green Property, which was trying to develop a rival shopping centre in nearby Blanchardstown, before his retirement from the council in July, 1989. However, under cross-examination by Mr Redmond, the witness accepted such claims were based on hearsay evidence.

In response, Mr Redmond, who is serving a one-year jail term for planning corruption, said he had merely applied to Green for a job with the company in reply to a newspaper advertisement.

Under a second day of cross-examination by Mr Redmond, who is legally representing himself, the developer expressed regret that he had not responded positively to this demand for money.

"I didn't take you on board and it cost me £3 million," Mr Redmond remarked. "I was beginning to feel how stupid I was not to give you a hundred grand in the first place. It would have been much, much cheaper."