Gilmartin says donation wasn't a bribe
Property developer Tom Gilmartin has told the Mahon Tribunal that he decided to make a £50,000 (€63,500) donation to Fianna Fáil in June 1989 on foot of his conversation with former minister Padraig Flynn.
He said he met Mr Flynn at the politician’s departmental office and, when he asked who he should make the cheque payable to, Mr Flynn told him to just leave it on the desk.
Mr Gilmartin insisted the money was not a bribe and said he hadn’t even lobbied politicians about his Quarryvale plans.
However, he added that it was despicable that politicians were feathering their own nests at a time when Ireland was on its knees, with young people queuing at the US Embassy to get out of the country and begging on the London underground.
At this, the public gallery burst into spontaneous applause.
