A former director of Century Radio, Oliver Barry, has been stood down as a witness at the Flood Tribunal to give him more time to produce information regarding his bank accounts. The enquiry chairman, Mr Justice Fergus Flood, had threatened to go to the High Court to force Mr Barry to disclose information. Justice Flood said that he needed Mr Barry to be frank and open about his bank accounts and would do all in his power to get the information. He had earlier adjourned the tribunal to allow Mr Barry to consider his position.
He said that Mr Barry's evidence this morning had been very unsatisfactory on a number of matters. Mr Barry is being questioned about bank accounts held by him and former employee Maeve McManus. The Tribunal heard that Mr Barry had not disclosed an account in Cork, but had said that there was no intention to hide it. It has also emerged that Ms McManus held a number of accounts in the Isle of Man. Tribunal lawyers said that there were mirror transactions between the two account holders.
Lawyers for the tribunal said that it seemed to be a case of “catch me if you can” with Mr Barry. For months they have been trying to trace all his bank accounts. The Tribunal chairman said that Mr Barry could have told them everything in private. He said that they should not now have to hunt in the undergrowth or extract the information with a shoehorn. Mr Barry said that he had co-operated 100%. He told the lawyers they could trawl his accounts “till kingdom come” but they would not find another payment to Ray Burke.
Ms McManus also failed to disclose accounts. She originally declared one account in the Isle of Man while the Tribunal claims she had six. She said that Mr Barry gave her bonus payments after successful concerts but often borrowed the money back for business use. In all, she gave him loans of £120,000. She also said that she assumed the money paid to Ray Burke was for century. “I didn't believe it was an election,” she said.
