A daughter of John Gilligan did not have an official income to match her lifestyle when was investigated by the Criminal Assets Bureau in 1996 and 1998. A Criminal Assets Bureau officer also told Dublin Circuit Civil Court the Gilligan family may still have substantial income at their disposal.
The officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said Ireland was "an extraordinary generous country" if Ms Tracy Gilligan was supporting her lifestyle on small payments she received from her mother and a family friend as well as supplementary social welfare income.
He denied he was biased or was unfairly assuming Ms Gilligan was still living off her father's income.
The officer agreed with Ms Gilligan's barrister, Mr Padraig Dwyer, that a house and car given to her by her father could not disqualify her from a single parent's allowance.
It was the fourth day of the application by Ms Gilligan (25), of Willsbrook View, Lucan, Dublin, to have her single parent family allowance reinstated.
The court has heard the allowance was cut off in 1996 following an investigation by the CAB and the Department of Social Welfare.
The officer agreed with Mr Dwyer that the first £12,000 per annum income is not assessed when considering an entitlement for a single parent's allowance. He also agreed Ms Gilligan was now on a supplementary welfare allowance, which was granted by the Eastern Health Board on a means test similar to the one used by the Department of Social Welfare in assessing applicants for single-parent allowances. He said the CAB had discussions with the EHB about Ms Gilligan's case, but had not tried to influence the board.
The officer said he and a garda attached to the CAB had called to Ms Gilligan's home at 7 p.m. on November 12th, 1996, to investigate her social welfare entitlements.
Ms Gilligan ended the interview after 15 minutes and told them to leave. She said she was not going to be intimidated by two men and said she would speak to a female officer from the Department of Social Welfare. However, the Department of Social Welfare did not have any female members who were attached to the Criminal Assets Bureau.
He said Ms Gilligan had refused to answer questions at least twice during the interview and her answers were less than satisfactory. They had not intimidated her in any way.
Mr Dwyer put it to him that based on a 15-minute interview he had recommended Ms Gilligan's single parent's allowance be cut off. The officer said he had based his decision on a number of factors, the interview being only one.
Mr Dwyer said Ms Gilligan informed the Department of Social Welfare in 1994 that her father had bought a house for her. This had not been contradicted when Ms Gilligan gave evidence to the court and wrote it in an affidavit.
The officer said Ms Gilligan was found to have withdrawn £20,000 from her Lucan Bank of Ireland account in June 1996. He agreed Ms Gilligan's claim in November 1996 that she had just over £200 in the account was accurate. He said the £20,000 had come from the Stanley Racing Group and had been lodged to the account of a builder in Oberstown called Richard Gorey, who was carrying out work on her parents' equestrian centre in Jessbrook, Co Meath.
He disagreed that it could be reasonably assumed that Ms Gilligan did not benefit from the account and that it was, in fact, her father's money. He said Ms Gilligan had control over the bank account and the money had been lodged in her name.
Judge Elizabeth Dunne said the court should forget about who John Gilligan was and rely on bare facts. She said Mr Dwyer was being coloured by John Gilligan's reputation as much as anyone else.
Judge Dunne also said if the money was paid for work at Jessbrook Equestrian Centre it was reasonable for the Criminal Assets Bureau to investigate whether Ms Gilligan had a beneficial interest in the centre.
The officer said Ms Gilligan also had more than £5,700 in another account in 1996. This money had come from her mother's account after £110,000 was withdrawn from it in June and July 1996.
This was a significant evacuation of funds from the account and it was unclear where the money had gone.
Judge Dunne set further hearing of the application for mention on Monday.