JOE BURKE’S PUB-CRAWL

	BURKE DENIES SEEKING £500,000 BRIBE FOR AHERN
Port Authority official Joe Burke

TODAY JOE BURKE, Dublin Port Authority official and associate of Bertie Ahern, was given the opportunity to respond to an allegation by developer Tom Gilmartin that he had requested a payment of half a million pounds on behalf of the then Minister for Finance, Bertie Ahern, in September 1990.

Mr Burke could only recall ever having one meeting with Tom Gilmartin but catagorically denied ever having requested unethical payments on behalf of himself or anyone else in relation to the Quarryvale project.

Counsel for the Tribunal Patrick Quinn SC asked Mr Burke about a meeting he had at Gilmartin’s office in September 1990 on St Stephen’s Green. Gilmartin had previously told the Tribunal: “during the course of some chit-chat with Mr Burke he mentioned half a million pounds”.

Mr Gilmartin’s statement described Mr Burke admiring a model of the proposed retail development displayed in his office. When Burke mentioned the sum, Mr Gilmartin misunderstood, believing that he was referring to a corporation land purchase at Quarryvale that he had concluded.

Mr Gilmartin: “I remember that Mr Burke followed up by saying that he was not talking about the Dublin Corporation transaction but asked me would I not be prepared to pay half a million pounds because I knew that Bertie Ahern was looking after me.”

According to his sworn affidavit Gilmartin told Mr Burke that he would take this into consideration, but suggested that he hear it from the man face to face.

Mr Burke was at pains to point out to Mr Quinn for the Tribunal that Gilmartin was mistaken in regard to the Dublin Corporation land sale which had only cost Gilmartin 200,000 pounds at the time of the alleged incident.

Mr Gilmartin’s statement also recalled Mr Burke then suggesting that he meet Mr Ahern, which he declined saying he was late for a plane. Mr Burke then offered to drive Mr Gilmartin to the airport. En route he detoured, telling Mr Gilmartin that he was taking him to see Mr Ahern.

Their first stop was the Deadman’s Inn in West Dublin, then the Beaumont House and finally Fagan’s Bar, the latter two being well known haunts of Mr Ahern.

After waiting an hour for Mr Ahern to turn up, Mr Gilmartin insisted that he be driven to the airport immediately.

As Burke drove Gilmartin to the airport, his statement described a sort of “unhappy silence” that descended between the two men. The Irish-born UK-based developer exited the vehicle, saying: “This is a great little country isn’t it.”

ENDS