Government ministers implicated by Gilmartin

Tom Gilmartin has claimed he was told by a mystery informant that Ray Burke was persuaded to resign as Minister for Foreign Affairs in 1997 by way of a "golden handshake" from a consortium of wealthy builders.

Giving evidence to the Mahon Tribunal today, the property developer said he was told that the idea of paying off Mr Burke came from current Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern.

He also said Minister for Health and acting Progressive Democrats leader Mary Harney was aware of what was going on.

Mr Gilmartin said his informant told him that the builders, led by Joseph Murphy Structural Engineering, wanted to get the minister to resign quietly in order to delay the tribunal's investigations.

When quizzed about the identity of the informant, Mr Gilmartin said he was an Irishman who seemed to know exactly what was going on in Government circles.

He added that the source absolutely refused to give his name or identify himself because it was more than his life was worth.