Builders summonsed over alleged payment

Two builders are to be called to the Flood tribunal next Tuesday with a third man to give evidence on documents relating to an…

Two builders are to be called to the Flood tribunal next Tuesday with a third man to give evidence on documents relating to an alleged payment to Mr Ray Burke, it was stated yesterday.

Mr Thomas Brennan, Mr Joseph McGowan, builders, and the third man, unidentified last week by the tribunal, but named yesterday as Mr John Finnegan, have been served summonses to appear, produce documents and give evidence.

Last week tribunal lawyers said it had emerged that money the building firm Brennan and McGowan gave to Mr Burke was not the result of fund-raising but was owned by the firm.

In the case of £60,000, the builders borrowed the money from Lombard and Ulster on lands mortgaged in Sandyford which were initially zoned for agriculture and later rezoned for development.

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Mr Burke said he was surprised by the revelations as he had supported Mr McGowan's evidence last year that the money was raised for his political career.

He said he had nothing to do with the rezoning of lands while he was a member of Dublin County Council.

Tribunal lawyers also revealed a total of £125,000 paid to Mr Burke was traced to funds from Canio Ltd, registered in the Channel Islands.

Canio Ltd was owned by another company, Ardcarn, which was in turn owned in equal share by three companies, according to the builders' solicitors: Gaeshe Investments, owed by Mr McGowan; Kalabraki, owned by Mr Brennan; and Foxtown Investments, based in Guernsey and owned by the third party, stated yesterday to be Mr Finnegan.

Mr Pat Hanratty SC, for the tribunal, said yesterday two summonses had been served, one on Mr Brennan and the other on Mr McGowan requiring them to attend to produce documents and give evidence. A third summons was served on Mr Finnegan and the same situation applied.