Paul Cullen
The Mahon tribunal is to ask the Prison Service to allow convicted former official George Redmond attend public hearings over the coming months.
Judge Alan Mahon agreed to write to the prison authorities asking that Redmond be allowed release from Cloverhill prison to attend the tribunal "where appropriate" during its hearings in the current module on Carrickmines.
Judge Mahon said he did not believe Redmond's attendance was essential every day, but he did not want to hinder his rights. The 79-year-old former assistant Dublin city and county manager, who has no legal representation in this module, will be allowed to cross-examine witnesses and to make submissions.
Redmond said he was satisfied with the judge's decision. Earlier in the day, he had asked to be allowed to attend every day. However, having read the material provided by the tribunal, he said he could see that some of the witnesses did not concern him and this would not be necessary.
Redmond made his request to the tribunal chairman at the start of yesterday's hearing. He said he was on "temporary release" and was confined to the area of Dublin Castle. He did not believe there was any bar on him speaking to anyone. The prison service had treated him "most humanely" since his detention in November.
Asked by Judge Mahon whether he wanted to be at the tribunal every day, he responded: "Can you see any reason I shouldn't be?".
The chairman said his presence was not required on a daily basis, but Redmond responded: "I don't see it that way." He didn't know what witnesses were going to say.
Later, he said the tribunal had given him five files covering events going back to 1984. He has also asked to see another file on sanitary services, which would give information on matters such as drainage concerning the lands under investigation.