Lawlor's untrue allegations criticised by judge

The Planning Tribunal has accused Liam Lawlor of admitting to evidence of his financial affairs only after it has been overwhelmingly proven.

The former Fianna Fáil TD has been criticised for playing "cat and mouse" with the inquiry, on his seventh successive day in the witness box.

Today saw how Lawlor used a false loan agreement, drawn up for him by a Jersey solicitor with Landesbank in Liechtenstein, to disguise funds to service his Irish debts.

It was designed to sort out an ongoing dispute he had with former solicitor John Caldwell.

Lawlor had defined the money in an affidavit in 2001 as the anticipated profits from Czech property deals.

It came to light in a letter from solicitor Noel Smyth to the tribunal about the dispute.

Lawlor then lashed out at senior counsel Des O'Neill claiming the tribunal manipulated documents it obtained from Mr Smyth using them as evidence for the High Court to jail him.

Justice Alan Mahon asked Lawlor not to make such untrue allegations.