Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin has criticised the way the Mahon Tribunal investigated 'bizarre' allegations of payments made by former developer Tom Gilmartin.
Mr Gilmartin testified that rival developer Owen O'Callaghan told him he paid Mr Martin a five-figure sum in the early 1990s when was being groomed to be Taoiseach.
Mr Gilmartin originally told the tribunal that Mr O'Callaghan told him about paying the then Minister for Industry and Commerce £15,000 or £20,000 in 1991 or 1992.
When asked to clarify this Mr Gilmartin later stated in a letter that he was told it was a five-figure sum paid to Mr Martin.
Mr Martin who has never been Minister for Industry and Commerce said this letter was crying out for clarification and should have been pursued more vigorously by the tribunal.
The minister said Mr O'Callaghan made political donations to him totalling £6,200 between 1989 and 1994 and also gave £5,000 to the Atlantic Pond Restoration Fund at his request.
Mr Martin said he was never asked for any favours in return and was not involved in the Quarryvale development.
He said he had no recollection of bringing Mr O'Callaghan to meet then Minister for Finance Bertie Ahern in April 1994 although Mr Ahern's diary recorded a meeting with the developer along with an entry 'M Martin'.
