Part of loan went to Burke account, Flood told

Part of a Lombard and Ulster mortgage raised by builders Mr Tom Brennan and Mr Joe McGowan for buying land in England was transferred…

Part of a Lombard and Ulster mortgage raised by builders Mr Tom Brennan and Mr Joe McGowan for buying land in England was transferred to Mr Ray Burke's account in 1984, the Flood Tribunal heard today.

 Simon Howard
Mr Simon Howard at the tribunal yesterday.

The £525,000 loan was raised by the builders' company, Canio Ltd, using 43 acres of land at Sandyford now known as the Kilnamanagh estate as collateral.

The land was later sold to Dún Laoghaire Corporation.

Evidence at the tribunal today showed £60,000 of the mortgage was lodged into Mr Burke's Channel Island-registered company account, Caviar Ltd. The money was paid in three sums of £25,000, £25,000 and £10,000 in 1984.

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Today Mr Pat Hanratty SC, for the tribunal, put it to Mr Simon Howard of Bedell and Cristin Solicitors, who had dealt with Canio's affairs, that the payment to Mr Burke was a political donation.

Although Mr Howard said there was no evidence in the files to prove this assertion, he said "that appears to be the case."

Earlier this week, Mr Brennan and Mr McGowan told the tribunal the £60,000 was a political donation rather than the proceeds of fundraising as they had previously claimed.

The tribunal continues tomorrow.