Molloy ‘unaware’ of State promise on land

FORMER Energy Minister Bobby Molloy told the Moriarty Tribunal yesterday he was unaware his predecessor had given a Dáil commitment that State lands in Co Wicklow would be sold by public tender.

But two years after former energy minister Ray Burke’s October, 1988 undertaking, the Glen Ding lands at Blessington were privately sold to the Roadstone company — whose chairman was financial adviser to then Taoiseach Charles J Haughey.

Mr Molloy said had he known about Mr Burke’s earlier parliamentary commitment in reply to Opposition TD Gemma Hussey’s question, he would have sought legal advice. He added: “On the face of it, I think you would not have any choice other than to do what had been committed previously.”