Judges quiz AIB manager on Quarryvale meetings

SENIOR Allied Irish Bank manager Michael O’Farrell told the Mahon Tribunal yesterday he had no recollection of Cork-based developer Owen O’Callaghan announcing at a board meeting that he had it from “the horse’s mouth” a rival shopping centre would get no tax breaks.

Retired businessman Tom Gilmartin has testified that Mr O’Callaghan, his former business partner in the west Dublin development at Quarryvale, told him that then finance minister Bertie Ahern had given him an assurance in the 1990s that a rival Blanchardstown project would not get special tax designation.

The tribunal is probing Mr Gilmartin’s claim that Mr O’Callaghan told him he gave Mr Ahern £30,000 to block Blanchardstown’s tax designation bid. The allegation is denied by both men.