Redmond 'stymied' #3.2m land deal, says witness

Former assistant Dublin county manager George Redmond "stymied" the £3.2 million sale of local authority land to Mr Tom Gilmartin because it would affect the interests of a rival developer Redmond was advising, the tribunal has heard.

Retired Dublin Corporation chief valuer Mr Michael McLoone said Redmond interfered in the sale of land for Mr Gilmartin's proposed shopping centre at Quarryvale in west Dublin because it could affect the interests of Green Property, which was developing a rival centre in nearby Blanchardstown.

Mr McLoone said Redmond had "vocal clout" within the Corporation and was able to "talk his way around" the other assistant managers. "Whatever George wanted, George got. He was able to talk them into his way of thinking." An agreement between Mr McLoone and Mr Gilmartin in December 1988 to sell 80 acres of land at Quarryvale to Mr Gilmartin at £40,000 an acre was overturned within two months, Mr McLoone said.

He told the tribunal of his embarrassment when he had to tell Mr Gilmartin that his superiors had decided the deal would not go through. The lands were eventually sold to Mr Gilmartin, at a higher price of about £70,000 an acre, after a tendering process.

Mr McLoone instanced another land deal in which Redmond allegedly interfered. In this case, he said he had recommended that the council buy lands at Leopardstown, which were available at a good price. The manager in Dún Laoghaire wanted to use them for housing and industry.

However, Redmond "talked the other managers out of it". When the council dropped out, a private developer bought the lands "within 24 hours" and sold them on to a semi-state for a 100 per cent profit. An industrial estate has since been built on the site.

Mr McLoone said he told Mr Gilmartin that Redmond would go on the payroll of Green Property after he retired in 1989. He also told Mr Gilmartin that Redmond was "shafting" the developer.

Redmond has told the tribunal he was "dumbfounded" when he learned about the proposed sale of the Quarryvale land to Mr Gilmartin. His conclusion was that the support of government ministers for Mr Gilmartin's projects had prevailed over "cogent" reasons for not disposing of the land.

However, Mr McLoone said Redmond had been informed of his agreement to sell to Mr Gilmartin and had raised no objections. He said Redmond had had a "keen interest" in land in the area and had objected to an earlier proposed sale of land because the price was too high.

Mr McLoone said the price agreed was reasonable. His dealings with Mr Gilmartin were at all times "honourable and straight".