The Flood Tribunal has heard that Ray Burke may have had advance notice of large payments from the builders, Brennan and McGowan. The Tribunal also heard today that Mr Burke might have travelled to Jersey to arrange receipt of the money. A Jersey-based solicitor confirmed to the Tribunal that Ray Burke visited the island just days before builders, Brennan and McGowan, received a £500,000 mortgage.
The solicitor, Simon Howard's evidence was based on a 1984 diary used by the Jersey law firm, Bedell and Cristin. It shows Ray Burke was on the island for a meeting in November. Joe McGowan had been there a couple of days beforehand. The visits were around the same time that Brennan and McGowan company, Canio Limited, secured a mortgage on land at Sandyford, in Dublin. Mr Burke was paid £60,000 from that mortgage.
Simon Howard said that it was reasonable to believe that Ray Burke went to the island in the expectation that a payment would be made. He may have been there to make arrangements for his bank to receive it. He said that there was no other apparent reason for the visit.
One year later, another payment of £15,000 was made to Mr Burke from the same company. This time Mr Burke had left instructions with his solicitors and his bank about it. Mr Howard said that it would appear he had advance notice on this occasion.
The tribunal also heard that the £60,000 payment was represented as "architect's fees" in the records of the Brennan and McGowan company held by Bedell and Cristin. The law firm was never told it was a political donation. The auctioneer, John Finnegan, who had a one third share in Canio is expected to say that he never knew that his £10,000 share of that payment went to Ray Burke.
