Gilmartin a ‘malevolent and mendacious’ witness

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern’s lawyer yesterday launched a scathing attack on the Mahon Planning Tribunal and called the chief witness, developer Tom Gilmartin, a “puppet” for others to inflict political damage on his client.

Conor Maguire SC, for Mr Ahern, termed Mr Gilmartin a “malevolent and mendacious” witness who was using the tribunal to carry out a personal vendetta against Cork-based businessman Owen O’Callaghan.

The tribunal is investigating Mr Gilmartin’s claims that Mr O’Callaghan told him he paid Mr Ahern £80,000 to block tax designation for a rival west Dublin shopping complex in the 1990s.