The Flood Tribunal has heard that the former Century director, James Stafford, knew about plans to pay the former Minister, Ray Burke, £35,000. An accountant, Tom Moore, said that he was told about the payment by Mr Stafford in 1989. His evidence contradicts what Mr Stafford told the Tribunal; he says that he did not know of the payment until two years after it was made.
Tom Moore's evidence is explosive in terms of the Tribunal's efforts to establish what James Stafford knew and when. Mr Stafford has always denied any knowledge of the Burke payment until two years after it was made. Oliver Barry claims it was made on behalf of Century and that his partners were aware of it. Mr Moore's evidence adds weight to that claim.
He said that James Stafford told him in 1989 that Oliver Barry wanted to make a payment to Ray Burke. He said that Mr Stafford was appalled and said he did not want Century to have anything to do with it and that it was not the way he did business. Mr Moore said that there was an implication that it was some sort of a bribe.
In cross-examination by James Stafford's lawyers, Mr Moore was asked if he could have been mistaken. He was asked if Mr Stafford could have been referring to rumours about a price list for licences. Mr Moore said that he was not mistaken. He had never heard about the price list rumour and he was certain about the context of this discussion.
