The former Dublin city and county assistant manager, Mr George Redmond, told gardaí he got a cheque for £5,000 "out of the blue" from a car salesman, Mr Brendan Fassnidge, in 1988.
Mr Redmond told gardaí he suspected but had no proof that the former TD, Mr Liam Lawlor, had some connection with the cheque. Det Insp Patrick Byrne told Mr Patrick J. McCarthy SC, prosecuting, that Mr Redmond came to Harcourt Square Garda station voluntarily on April 1st, 1999, and made a statement to him and Det Insp, now Supt, William McDermott.
Mr Redmond said he assumed the payment related to the petrol station opened by Mr Fassnidge on the Lucan bypass which had been opposed by county council officials but later passed by Dublin County Council.
He told gardaí he lodged it in an account he had with Ulster Bank in September or October 1988 and could identify it for them.
Det Insp Byrne agreed with Mr Brendan Grehan SC, defending, that Mr Redmond was interviewed about two weeks after an article written by Frank Connolly was published in the Sunday Business Post. He said he was aware of the article but had not read it then nor since.
Sgt Philip James Burke told Mr McCarthy he found a Dublin County Council Yearbook and Diary for 1988 in Mr Redmond's home and found an entry for May 6th with the reference "Fassnidge 88A/500". Sgt Burke told Mr Grehan he didn't know what the entry referred to.
It was day 9 of the trial of Mr Redmond (79), who has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two charges that he got £10,000 from Mr Fassnidge relating to the sale of a right-of-way from Dublin County Council at the Lucan bypass.
The hearing continues today.