The former financial director of JMSE, Mr Roger Copsey, believed Mr James Gogarty's obsession with his retirement package dictated his views in the company.
Mr Copsey's statement to the tribunal was read into the record by Mr Des O'Neill SC, counsel for the tribunal, yesterday.
In it, he said Mr Gogarty "made no secret how strongly he felt about his entitlement to a large retirement package", although, "he was relying solely on the goodwill of Mr Joseph Murphy snr as regards a settlement".
Mr Copsey recalled an incident at the AGSE offices in Fleetwood in 1989 when he was negotiating new facilities for JMSE with officials from Barclays bank. He said Mr Gogarty created a disturbance at this meeting when he came barging in shouting he was a director of the company and entitled to attend.
Mr Copsey said he adjourned the meeting and went outside with Mr Gogarty who them appeared to be perfectly calm. When he asked him what he was doing, Mr Gogarty implied this behaviour would continue until his retirement package was satisfactorily concluded. The meeting was very nearly ruined by Mr Gogarty's behaviour, said Mr Copsey.
Mr Copsey also gave details of his involvement in the payment to Mr Ray Burke. He said he became aware of the "political donation" of £30,000 when Mr Gogarty asked him to arrange the money from within the Murphy Group of companies.
Mr Copsey said he advised Mr Gogarty it would not have been possible to take the money from JMSE, but advised him that Mr Denis McArdle, a solicitor, was holding company money from a previous sale.
He said Mr Gogarty rang Mr McArdle to tell him not to transfer money to JSME. Mr Copsey said Mr Gogarty informed him the donation would partly be made in cash as an election was imminent and the party had a need for cash for posters, helpers and ongoing expenses.
"I do not recall Mr Gogarty identifying the person in the political party to whom the donations were to be made and I have no recollection of Mr Burke being mentioned," Mr Copsey's statement said. Mr Copsey also challenged other statements that Mr Gogarty has made at the tribunal.
He said his only involvement in the lands dealings between the Murphys and the Baileys in 1989 would have been in relation to the tax implications and the tax structure.
Later on in 1989, when the lands were purchased, Mr Copsey said he was reluctant to become involved because his relationship with Mr Gogarty was such that he preferred not to deal with him.
It was only because Mr Murphy asked him as a favour to assist in the financial aspects of the deal that he agreed to assist.