Ahern’s role in stadium plans scrutinised

FORMER taoiseach Bertie Ahern insisted he had never taken bribes as his role in plans for a national stadium came under the spotlight of the Mahon inquiry.

Despite saying he did not discuss proposals for the sports site before November 1994, the probe produced documents showing it had been raised during a meeting between US firm Chilton and O’Connor and the then finance minister at LA airport in March of that year.

Mr Ahern said the subject could only have been mentioned briefly at the encounter, which he claimed was hastily arranged via the Irish embassy.

However, documents discovered from the late Liam Lawlor show Mr Lawlor had advance knowledge of the meeting.

He had contacted his son, who worked for the company in California, regarding the matter.

Mahon counsel also revealed two letters from Chilton and O’Connor to Frank Dunlop in the days leading up to the LA meeting with Mr Ahern.

The first letter mentioned the national stadium and proposals for a leisure and casino complex in Phoenix Park. The second omitted reference to the park project.

Documents also showed that then taoiseach Albert Reynolds had been in discussions about the stadium project during 1993.

Mr Ahern insisted he had not taken bribes in relation to two shopping developments when he was finance minister.

He said he followed government policy by refusing to give tax breaks for retail outlets at Liffey Valley or Blanchardstown.

Mr Ahern denied allegations he received an £80,000 bribe from businessman Owen O’Callaghan to persuade Dublin City Council to sell him land for Liffey Valley’s Quarryvale site.

“I never received a penny — or a cent in today’s money,” said Mr Ahern.

Mr O’Callaghan also strongly denies the claim which was made by developer Tom Gilmartin.

Mr Ahern said he was lobbied on the Blanchardstown shopping development at the time by the tánaiste Brian Lenihan, opposition leader John Bruton, Workers’ Party leader Tomas MacGiolla, as well as local councillors.

The TD said he had no recollection of discussing tax designation with the developer of Liffey Valley, Mr O’Callaghan, or the developer of Blanchardstown shopping centre, John Corcoran.

Mr Ahern said he met Mr O’Callaghan in his constituency office in 1998, where he told him he would not support a proposal to build a national stadium at Neilstown because he had his own plan to build one elsewhere.

This so-called ‘Bertie Bowl’ — which was later abandoned — would be used by sporting bodies such as the GAA, the FAI and the IRFU.

Des O’Neill SC, for the tribunal, said Mr Gilmartin was of the view that the Fianna Fáil politician, the late Mr Lawlor, was putting obstacles in his way because he had refused demands for money.