Flynn paid £23k tax on Gilmartin donation

PADRAIG FLYNN paid nearly IR£23,000 in gift tax following a political donation of £50,000 from developer Tom Gilmartin, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.

Mr Flynn explained how he contacted the Revenue to dispose of the matter after deciding in 1998 not to contest any more elections.

He was minister for the environment when he received the cheque from Mr Gilmartin in May 1989 in the run-up to the general election. He later served as EU commissioner for social affairs from 1993 to 1999.