The businessman Oliver Barry has told the Flood Tribunal that it will not find a scrap of evidence of another payment to Ray Burke or any other politician. Mr Barry made his comments after the Tribunal adjourned for the day to examine accounts relating to a Prince concert in Cork in 1990. The Tribunal is tracking a £30,000 withdrawal from the account which was opened in the name of Mr Barry's assistant. It was not disclosed to the Tribunal previously. Mr Barry claims that the £30,000 was withdrawn piecemeal to pay people in cash during a Prince concert in Cork. However, Tribunal lawyers say that bank records contradict his evidence.
Mr Barry said that the bank manager would bring the cash to the concert and return what was not used to the bank. However, bank records show only one withdrawal of £30,000, days after Mr Barry claims the payments were made. The withdrawal came from a bank account used by Mr Barry which was not initially disclosed to the Flood Tribunal.
Mr Justice Flood asked Mr Barry if he was telling them that someone from AIB "would totter around with a wad of notes and peel off notes at his request on a Friday and a Saturday when the bank was closed and then return to the bank on Monday and debit the account". Mr Barry replied, "yes that's close enough chairman".
