Chairman says he has no role in tax matters

The chairman of the Flood tribunal has said he has no function in matters relating to the Revenue Commissioners.

The chairman of the Flood tribunal has said he has no function in matters relating to the Revenue Commissioners.

Mr Justice Flood was intervening in a dispute between lawyers for a Century radio cofounder, Mr Oliver Barry, and his former assistant, Ms Maeve McManus.

Ms McManus was being questioned about bonds worth £30,000 held in her name with SG Warburg.

The witness said she never bought any bonds but that she gave Mr Barry money to transfer into bonds when he was "strapped for cash".

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Mr Fergal Kavanagh, barrister for Mr Barry, claimed one of the reasons the witness was attributing some of this money to Mr Barry was that a lot of it was offshore and had not been returned to the Revenue.

Ms Patricia Dillon SC, for the tribunal, said Mr Barry had given evidence of significant offshore deposits. He had not been questioned on the tax issues raised.

If Mr Kavanagh wished to open this line of inquiry he was welcome to do so, but this would have "inevitable consequences" for Mr Barry.

Earlier, Ms McManus said she was not aware of a bank account in AIB Cork which was opened in her name.

This account was used to pay staff and supplier involved in the Prince concert in Pairc Ui Chaoimh in 1990.

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen

Paul Cullen is a former heath editor of The Irish Times.