Burke denies asking for IR£500k

BUSINESSMAN Joe Burke, an associate of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, yesterday flatly rejected developer Tom Gilmartin’s allegations that he asked for IR£500,000 in connection with the Quarryvale development in 1990.

Mr Burke, who is chairman of the Dublin Port Company, told the Mahon Tribunal that official records showed Mr Gilmartin’s allegation to be untrue.

Insisting he only met the developer once in 1989 at the request of Mr Ahern, who was then Minister for Labour, Mr Burke termed the developer’s allegations “outrageous” and said he “totally refuted” them.