The truth will set us free from The Devil's lies

national | politics / elections | opinion/analysis Tuesday April 06, 2004 10:37 by john mcdermott - Remove Fianna Fail Party Ashtown,Dublin

Tom Gilmartin speaks the truth in Dublin Castle.

The star witness ,Freda Kelly who yesterday confirmed the accuracy of Tom Gilmartins testimony ,-as opposed to Bertie's lies and denials-speaks the truth.!

Freda Kelly’s appearance at the Tribunal in Dublin Castle brought back old memories for me .I knew her personally,and had a business relationship with her, during the period covering the proposed construction( and controversies) relating to the development of the Blanchardstown,and Quarryvale centers.
At the time,it was thought that two large developments so close together ,would be mutually destructive-a perspective which the fullness of time has disproven.

She was a customer of my Hackney Cab Service based in Blanchardstown Village.
At this time,I was grappling unsuccessfully with the increasing demands of The new Multinational American companies,for reliable taxi/cab services in the locality.
Freda had an account with us,and I personally brought her to the Brian Lenahan household in Castleknock on a number of occasions.She had very good connections with,and open access to that family,and was always interested in updating news re-the shopping center controversy for her local newspaper.I knew also from chatting with her that she was an unpaid volunteer guide involved in the development of Kilmainham Jail as a tourist/historical visitors center.

It was also a period of intense frustration for myself due to the ongoing intrigues of elements of the Irish Taxi Federation and The Republican Party(Fianna Fail) who had cemented a solidarity/voting pact - the offshoot of which was a moratorium/ban on the issue of new Taxi Plates,new Hackney Plates, and to copperfasten it all;the denial of access to the Bus Lanes for Hackney Cabs in the ever worsening ‘ Celtic Tiger’traffic tailbacks.For these and other reasons,we did not share the same political affiliations.

I always knew Freda to be a reliable ,straight talking and conscientious lady.I was surprised to see her appear as a witness in The Tribunal.
I have no doubt whatsoever of the accuracy and veracity of her testimony.
This brings us to the mystifying ‘Collective Amnesia’problems of the present Fianna Fail Cabinet,re a meeting which ,as Tom Gilmartin himself said ‘nothing hangs on it’?. Why the barefaced memory losses?
Her testimony must lay to rest the real truth,and place Tom Gilmartins testimony as close to irrefutability as is possible to establish,given the devious nature of ‘The Soldiers”secret off the record gatherings in Merrion Street, to extract pay-offs from ‘ new boys/developers’ on the block.