The Chairman of the Planning Tribunal, Mr. Justice Flood, has said that he will reply to questions about the legal position of Commissioner Pádraig Flynn, if he is asked by the Clerk of the Dáil.
Mr. Flynn told the Taoiseach that he was unable to comment about the Gilmartin allegations as lawyers for the Tribunal had told him not to, in advance of his oral evidence to the Tribunal. The chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party, Phil Hogan, asked the Tribunal about this and has been told Mr Justice Flood does not reply to individual queries but would respond to any request from the Clerk of the Dáil.
Fine Gael has put down a motion for debate in the Dáil next week, calling on the Clerk to clarify the advice given by the Tribunal's lawyers to the Commissioner. Fine Gael wants to know if the Tribunal believes the Commissioner can't make a statement about his alleged receipt of £50,000. They also want to know whether the Tribunal can give Mr Flynn permission to speak now.
