Mahon Tribunal: Solicitor Mr John Caldwell has said he would fight "tooth and nail" any claim by Mr Liam Lawlor for part-ownership of the Carrickmines land currently under investigation by the tribunal.
The former Fianna Fáil TD denies any involvement in the land but the tribunal is investigating the possibility that he could have a stake in the property, along with Mr Caldwell and businessman Mr Jim Kennedy.
The owners of the land are due a €13 million compensation payment for 20 acres compulsorily acquired for the South-Eastern motorway and the remaining 80 acres are worth a multiple of this sum. Yesterday, Mr Caldwell said there was no basis for believing that Mr Lawlor had any claim. If the politician did make one, it would be a "fictitious" claim and he would not settle it.
In the 16 years he had dealt with the Carrickmines land, only he and Mr Kennedy were involved in its ownership. Mr Lawlor was not and never had been the beneficial owner.
The witness told his counsel, Mr Ian Finlay SC, that if Mr Lawlor felt he had a claim, he would have taken action, as he had in other situations. He rejected the suggestion that while Mr Lawlor had not yet made a claim, he might still do so in the future.
Mr Caldwell had earlier told Mr Lawlor, representing himself, that he didn't believe the former TD owned any part of the land.
He could be "absolutely categoric" that Mr Lawlor held no part of his own 50 per cent share of the land. As for the other 50 per cent linked to Mr Kennedy, who is not co-operating with the tribunal, Mr Caldwell said he would find it "incredible" if Mr Lawlor had been given a share of this.
Asked to explain this remark by Mr Finlay, he said he didn't believe that Mr Kennedy would not have told him of any involvement by Mr Lawlor. In addition, Mr Kennedy tended to hold 50 per cent stakes in his land ventures. In the Carrickmines case, this would mean that Mr Lawlor's share would have to come from his, Mr Caldwell's stake, and this wasn't the case.
To his knowledge, Mr Caldwell said, Mr Lawlor had no involvement in efforts to rezone the land. He had no recollection of Mr Kennedy telling him that the politician was involved in these efforts. He and Mr Lawlor had never spoken about the land, the witness added, and he had no knowledge of any offshore structure in which an interest in the land was being kept for Mr Lawlor.
Mr Caldwell also said Mr Frank Dunlop was "completely incorrect" when he told the tribunal the two men first met in January 1991. He was "absolutely sure" that meetings took place between them before this and that Mr Dunlop was wrong, he told Mr Lawlor.
Later, Mr Lawlor, when answering questions from his counsel, Mr Pat Russell, accused Mr Dunlop of "lying through his teeth". He swore "on the lives of my two grandchildren" that he had no interest or involvement in the land.
The present module, on the ownership of the Carrickmines land, is expected to end today.
