Bailey says he was not shown a summary of bank interviews

Mr Thomas Bailey's solicitors had not shown him copies of the document which was a summary of interviews with two Anglo Irish…

Mr Thomas Bailey's solicitors had not shown him copies of the document which was a summary of interviews with two Anglo Irish Bank officials, the tribunal was told.

Mr Bailey, giving evidence, was asked by Mr Desmond O'Neill SC, for the tribunal, if he knew the tribunal had interviews with two members of the bank staff. He said he had learned of it late in 1998. On learning of this he had general discussions, but none with the bank.

He said he made few inquiries to the bank as to what was said about them to the tribunal. Asked if he considered it an important matter, he said he supposed it was.

Asked to look at a summary of the interviews, he said he had never seen the document before. Mr O'Neill asked if he was saying his solicitors, Smith Foy & Co, did not show him copies of the document. Mr Bailey replied: "Not that document, no."

READ MORE

Asked if there was anything in the document that was new to him, he said there was not. He had learned of the information through his brother.

Mr O'Neill asked if he was saying his solicitors had witness evidence and he was unaware of the content. Mr Bailey replied that was correct.

Mr O'Neill said he asked his brother if he ever had contact with any member of the press by meeting, phone, fax, and he said he had not. He took it Mr Bailey was saying the same. Mr Bailey said: "Correct."

Asked if he was ever requested to comment by Mr Sam Smyth or any journalist, he said: "No." Mr Pat Heneghan told the tribunal he was a public relations consultant employed by the Baileys and their company in connection with the tribunal.

He said he had no access of any type to legal documents. He had certainly heard discussions of what was in the documents circulated.

On Monday the chairman returned in the afternoon to give a ruling. After the ruling, Mr Smyth approached him and put certain matters to him. Mr Heneghan said he was deeply concerned about what Mr Smyth had to say and called Mr Colm Allen SC, for the Baileys, to hear it.

Mr Smyth had said on approaching him he got the information the previous Friday from an impeccable source. It was to the effect that Mr Michael Bailey approached Anglo Irish Bank to arrange an amount of money.

"I said, hold up Sam, I know nothing about it. I thought it was very serious and I called Colm Allen and he (Smyth) repeated it," said Mr Heneghan.

Mr Allen told Mr Smyth he could make no comment on the matter. Mr Heneghan said he and Mr Allen went to a conference room and discussed it with deep concern.

The information certainly did not come from him or any of their side, Mr Heneghan said. He had never seen the documents.