The Flood tribunal has written to financial institutions throughout the State in search of accounts held by Dublin West TD Mr Liam Lawlor.
In an unprecedented trawl of banks, building societies and credit unions, the tribunal has written to more than 100 financial institutions in recent weeks, asking them if they have any record of accounts held by Mr Lawlor.
The tribunal is investigating a number of allegations concerning the TD, who resigned from Fianna Fail last month. These include a claim by the lobbyist and former Government press secretary, Mr Frank Dunlop, that he gave Mr Lawlor a political contribution of £40,000, plus smaller payments amounting to £8,500 in April and May 1991.
Last year, the High Court upheld a tribunal order to Mr Lawlor to produce his bank and building society accounts for 1987 to 1994.
Mr Lawlor has denied the receipt of a "contribution" of £40,000 from Mr Dunlop at Mr Dunlop's office in the early 1990s. He has, however, acknowledged receiving a similar sum, at a later date, in return for consultancy services provided to Mr Dunlop.
The tribunal is also investigating the payment by the Luton-based property developer, Mr Tom Gilmartin, of £3,500 a month over a 10-month period to the TD. Mr Lawlor initially said these were consultancy fees, but later described them as political donations.
Mr Lawlor told Fianna Fail's Standards in Public Life Committee in May that he received more than £10,000 from Mr Dunlop. This money included £1,000 in 1992 for a function on the 10th anniversary of his election to the Dail; contributions to a number of golf classics; a print bill of under £500; a number of £1,000 contributions; £4,000 in the June 1991 local election campaign; and £5,000 during the November 1992 general election.
The report published by the Fianna Fail inquiry last month concluded that Mr Lawlor had given conflicting accounts of dealings with a Czech consultancy company in which he had a one-third share with Mr Dunlop.
It was this company, Irish Consortium SRO, which invoiced Mr Dunlop for £38,000, Mr Lawlor told one of the meetings of the inquiry. At a later meeting, however, he stated that the company had no dealings with Mr Dunlop.
It may be late this year or even next year before Mr Lawlor comes to give evidence before Mr Justice Flood.
Meanwhile, the co-founder of Century Radio, Mr James Stafford, resumes his evidence to the tribunal this morning. Mr Stafford faces further questions about a number of interventions by former minister for communications Mr Ray Burke in 1989 and 1990, which were interpreted as favouring Century over RTE.
Members of the first Independent Radio and Television Commission, which awarded Century the franchise for the first national commercial radio station, are to be called to give evidence. They include travel agent Ms Gillian Bowler; Mr Frank Cullen of National Newspapers of Ireland; trade unionist Mr Kieran Mulvey (currently chief executive of the Labour Relations Commission); theatre impresario Mr Fred O'Donovan; and public relations executive Ms Terry Prone.
It appears the tribunal does not intend to call the then chairman of the commission, Mr Justice Seamus Henchy, whose name does not appear on the official list of witnesses. The present chief executive of the IRTC, Mr Michael O'Keeffe, will also give evidence.
Financier Mr Dermot Desmond could make tribunal history later this week, when he is scheduled to appear at both the Flood and Moriarty tribunals on the same day. However, delays in other evidence may result in the postponement of his evidence regarding Century until the autumn.
Other scheduled witnesses include a former director-general of RTE, Mr Vincent Finn, and a number of officials of the Department of Communications.
