A JURY in the corruption trial of former Dublin assistant county manager, George Redmond, has been told he admitted to gardaí that he received money in relation to a compulsory purchase order on land.
The jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court also heard a statement made by Mr Redmond denying that he received any corrupt payment from the now deceased Fianna Fáil county councillor, Patrick Dunne.
Senior counsel Pauline Walley (with Patrick McGrath), told the jury, in her opening of the prosecution case, that Mr Redmond told senior gardaí he received money from the late Mr Dunne, who represented Malahide on the then Dublin county council, in relation to the purchase of the lands.
Ms Walley said Mr Redmond told two gardaí in March 1999: "He paid me IR£10,000 in relation to a compulsory purchase of land in Buzzardstown owned by a man called Seagram. I don't really know why I was paid the IR£10,000 but I accepted it."
Senior counsel Brendan Grehan (with Mr Angus Buttanshaw), for Mr Redmond, read out a statement immediately following the State's opening, denying his client received any corrupt payment from Mr Dunne.
Mr Grehan said Mr Redmond stated in a public forum in 2000 that he had never received any money from Mr Dunne and had apologised to the deceased man's family for any suggestion he did so.
Ms Walley told the jury that Mr Redmond joined the local authority in 1941 as a temporary clerk and by the late 1970s had risen to assistant manager, "a position of power, influence and status".
She said he had been responsible for the acquisition and disposal of lands for the council and in 1980 had signed a compulsory purchase order for the lands at Buzzardstown for which it was alleged he received IR£10,000 from the Fianna Fáil councillor.
Ms Walley also warned the jury to be wary of media coverage of the case.
She said it was likely they had heard of Mr Redmond before but now they must "forget it, put it outside the door".
The prosecution's first witness, Francis Fallon, senior executive officer at the human resources department of Dublin City Council, said Mr Redmond was appointed assistant city and council manager in 1977 at which time he signed an agreement that any payment he received for carrying out his duties from other parties would be paid over to his employer.
Mr Fallon said in 1983 he was also delegated responsibility for planning matters by the then city and county manager, Frank Feeley. He said Mr Redmond started working for the council in 1941 on a salary of IR£70 a year and retired at the compulsory age of 65 in 1989 on a salary of IR£32,000 a year.
Mr Redmond (83) of College Gate, Castleknock, has pleaded not guilty to two charges arising out of a compulsory purchase order by the Dublin authority on 167 acres of land at Buzzardstown and Coolmine.
He denies receiving IR£10,000 from Patrick Dunne on a date between October 10th, 1985 and June 26th, 1989 as an inducement or reward for doing or forbearing to do anything in respect of the compulsory purchase order and to receiving the IRl£10,000 as a reward for showing favour to another in relation to the same land.
The hearing continues before Judge Joseph Matthews and a jury of three women and nine men.