Liam Lawlor has not met his obligations to the Flood Tribunal, the High Court was told today. Mr Justice Thomas Smyth, who jailed Liam Lawlor last January for contempt of court, has now embarked on a hearing to determine if Mr Lawlor has, as the Flood Tribunal claims, failed to meet in full his obligation to disclose all information in relation to his financial affairs. Mr Lawlor is contesting this claim.
There was no comment from Dublin West TD Liam Lawlor as he left the High Court today having heard senior counsel Frank Clarke begin to lay out before Mr Justice Thomas Smyth the three categories of documents the Tribunal is concerned about. Mr Clarke served notice that he may want to call Mr Lawlor to give evidence during this court hearing but he said that even on the affidavits submitted, it is clear that Liam Lawlor has not met his obligations.
Mr Lawlor is under court order and the threat of jail to provide a wide range of documentation to the Tribunal. A deadline was set for compliance. The deadline is now over and Mr Justice Flood and Liam Lawlor are in conflict on whether he has produced all the information required.
Today the High Court heard that there are outstanding concerns about banking information. Frank Clarke said that there has been voluminous discovery of bank accounts but other related relevant information was missing. He cited in particular documentation in relation to Litchenstein.
The Tribunal is also seeking additional information about Mr Lawlor's business dealings in the Czech Republic and they say that there is a dearth of documentation from him around the time he settled all his bank debts in Ireland in 1995. Despite the boxes and boxes of files Liam Lawlor has given to the Flood Tribunal its lawyers say that there are gaps in the information. Mr Lawlor has submitted affidavits of explanation and it will be up to Mr Justice Smyth to decide if Liam Lawlor is in contempt of his court order and if he should go back to jail.
