Gilmartin altered evidence

In a series of phone conversations with the former Minister for the Environment, Padraigh Flynn in in1998, Tom Gilmartin (according to Padraigh Flynn, apparently authenticated by contemporaneous notes made by the latter of these conversations) made certain admissions about a crucial change in his evidence. He had previously stated that the £50,000 he had given to Padraigh Flynn in the autumn of 1989 was for Mr Flynn's own purposes. He subsequently changed his evidence, claiming that the money was intended for Fianna Fail.

In the course of the conversations with Padraigh Flynn in 1998, Tom Gilmartin (again according to Padraigh Flynn) said he had been advised by a third party that were he to persist with his claim that he had intended the money for Padraigh Flynn, this might be construed as a bribe and this advice caused him to change his evidence.

The issue is, who it was that gave Tom Gilmartin this advice? There is a belief this advice was tendered by a person connected with the tribunal. If it is established that such advise was indeed offered by a person connected with the tribunal, it raises a hugely significant issue: why was somebody connected with the tribunal advising a witness to give what, essentially, would have been false evidence?

This issue alone could cause a crisis for the tribunal.