Arlington executives to give evidence to Mahon Tribunal

Two former executives from the British firm Arlington Properties are due to give evidence to the Mahon Tribunal later today.

Arlington was the firm behind property developer Tom Gilmartin’s planned development at Bachelor’s Walk in Dublin in the late 1980s. Its two former executives, Ted Dadley and Raymound Mould, have travelled from England to give evidence today.

Mr Gilmartin, who completed his evidence yesterday, has told the tribunal that former Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor barged his way into the Bachelor’s Walk scheme and demanded regular consultancy payments.

Mr Gilmartin said Arlington agreed to hire Mr Lawlor against his advice. However, in his written statement to the inquiry, Mr Dadley said it was Mr Gilmartin’s idea to get Mr Lawlor on board because the Bachelor’s Walk scheme needed political support.

The British businessman also revealed that former government minister Padraig Flynn asked for a donation “for the boys” at a Fianna Fáil fundraiser in London in 1989. Mr Dadley said he refused the request.

Two days later, he said, an article appeared in the Irish Times revealing that Arlington was behind the purchase of lands at Bachelor’s Walk.

Mr Dadley said this article pushed up the price of the remaining land in the area and was one of the reasons why the planned development never got off the ground.