Paul Cullen
There's no such thing as a free lunch, unless you're George Redmond.
The last time the convicted former official appeared before the tribunal, he ate for free in a café just outside the walls of Dublin Castle. But the proprietor wearied when he returned for the same bargain each day and the goodwill dried up.
Yesterday, Redmond was back at the tribunal, complete with a packed lunch from the prison service, tea and biscuits courtesy of the tribunal, and a P.D. James crime thriller from the library in Cloverhill prison. Even that didn't stop him asking if there was a hot dinner to be had in the hall.
Clutching a holdall, he arrived into the hall in Dublin Castle on his first day out since receiving a 12-month sentence on corruption charges before Christmas.
Judge Alan Mahon seemed nonplussed by Redmond's sudden appearance on the legal benches. He inquired politely as to the "position" of the pensioner-witness.
Redmond, , who in the past spent much time and money trying to avoid being brought before the tribunal, told the chairman he now wanted to come to the proceedings - every day. "It's my wish and my right," he declared.
He showed every sign of wanting to be an active participant. Hardly had Judge Mahon agreed to ask the prison service to allow him attend "as appropriate" but Redmond was asking for additional files on "sanitary services". A collective shudder went through the press-box; if there is one prospect worse than sitting through days of evidence on drains and sewers, it's the prospect of George Redmond expounding on same drains and sewers.
Earlier, Redmond recalled how he was reading about the impeachment of Warren Hastings at the time the tribunal first started investigating his affairs in 1998.
Warren Hastings, for those who don't recall, was the first governor-general of India under the British Empire until his impeachment in the late 18th century. Fans believe he was a great man unjustly brought down by false allegations of corruption and mistreatment of the locals. It took eight years to try Hastings (he was acquitted) but this tribunal looks like it will last considerably longer.
Tribunal lawyer Des O'Neill SC explained that the current module, which is really only half a module, will be broken up into eight mini-modules. Each one will focus on a separate land deal and is likely to involve a great deal of complex financial and legal structures. As Mr O'Neill delved into the deeper reaches of these arrangements, even Redmond started to nod off. By 4 p.m., when his prison guards turned up, he seemed glad to be returning to the warm embrace of prison.