Gilmartin recounts details of payments to Lawlor

Property developer Tom Gilmartin has told the Mahon Tribunal that Liam Lawlor was paid £3,500 per month in consultancy fees by the company behind a planned development in Dublin despite having no input into the scheme.

Mr Gilmartin said the owners of the British firm Arlington hired Mr Lawlor against his advice. He said Mr Lawlor convinced the company that they had to have him on board, but he himself didn’t see what role the politician could play.

Mr Gilmartin said, as far as he was aware, Mr Lawlor had no input into the planned development at Bachelor’s Walk in Dublin and he believed the former Fianna Fáil TD was merely trying to screw money out of Arlington.

He also told the tribunal about a phone call he received from Mr Lawlor in June 1988 demanding the first of the £3,500 payments.

Mr Gilmartin said the Mr Lawlor asked for the payee line on the cheque to be left blank. The tribunal heard that the money was lodged days later to the account of a company owned by Mr Lawlor.