A person associated with Fianna Fail asked builder Mr Tom Bailey if he would "send a few bob in" to party headquarters in Mount Street, Dublin, Mr Bailey's brother said yesterday.
Mr Michael Bailey said he believed a £1,000 donation from Bovale ail was the result of an approach to his brother Tom from a man who had bought a house. "He asked him if he would send a few bob into Mount Street . . ."
Counsel for Mr James Gogarty, Mr Brian O'Moore, had earlier read into the record a letter from Mr Charles Haughey addressed to Mr Tom Bailey at Bovale Developments seeking donations for the 1989 election campaign.
The letter, dated May 29th, 1989, called on Bovale to make "a generous contribution to our election fund". Mr Haughey asked that the donation be sent "to me personally" at party ail headquarters.
This letter was followed up by another from Mr Gene Fitzgerald and Mr Padraig Flynn, which thanked Mr Tom Bailey for his "generous contribution" to the election fund. The receipt for the donation was made out to Bovale Developments Ltd, per Tom Bailey.
Mr Michael Bailey said he believed the donation was probably made on foot of the approach by the Fianna Fail member who knew the Baileys rather than the Haughey letter.
Mr O'Moore put it to Mr Bailey that the manner in which the £1,000 donation was made was very different from the way Mr Bailey had suggested Mr Gogarty should make a donation to the party. Mr Bailey replied that he was asked by Mr Gogarty whom he considered to be "the appropriate person for the Murphy organisation to make a contribution to Fianna Fail to" and he had suggested Mr Ray Burke, because he was "the senior man in the area".
