Former Dublin West Fianna Fáil TD Mr Liam Lawlor has been accused of "delaying tactics" in his approach to proceedings by the planning tribunal, which could lead to the sale of his home and lands at Lucan to satisfy debts of €430,000 in legal costs.
Ms Sara Moorehead SC, for the tribunal, told Ms Justice Finlay Geoghegan yesterday the tribunal did not accept the validity of a deed of gift under which Mr Lawlor was claiming to have transferred the house and lands over to his wife, Hazel, in 1997. The tribunal questioned whether there was a complete deed of gift and not an attempt to evade legitimate creditors, counsel said.
Mr Lawlor had made that assertion regarding the deed of gift in an affidavit but, despite a number of requests from the tribunal to Mrs Lawlor to outline her position, Mrs Lawlor had failed to do so, Ms Moorehead said.
Mr Kenneth Bredin, for Mr Lawlor, asked for an adjournment of the tribunal's proceedings against his client in which the tribunal is seeking "well-charging" orders against Mr Lawlor's family home and lands, valued at between €3 and €4 million, to satisfy judgments secured by the tribunal in relation to legal costs.
Ms Justice Finlay Geoghegan adjourned the case for one week.
Earlier this month, Ms Moorehead applied to Mr Justice Kearns for orders permitting the current tribunal to pursue proceedings brought by former chairman, Mr Justice Flood, against Mr Lawlor. These were granted.