By Paddy Clancy

Disgraced politician Liam Lawlor’s widow Hazel has won the first round of her battle to clear his name and stop her own being smeared.

The High Court in Dublin gave her the go-ahead to mount a legal challenge to a planning tribunal investigating allegations linking construction bosses and politicians with corruption.

Mrs. Lawlor went to court in an attempt to stop the Mahon Tribunal making findings of serious misconduct against her late husband unless supported by evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Traditionally, standards of proof in investigation tribunals are not as strict as those required in a court of law.

The tribunals, usually presided over by a judge, can reach decisions on the balance of probabilities. The findings do not automatically carry penalties against those found “guilty,” although Lawlor did go to jail when he was found in contempt of court in separate hearings linked to the investigation.

Lawlor died in a car crash in Moscow in October 2005. Lurid newspaper coverage suggested a woman injured in the tragedy was a prostitute. She was an East European secretary and interpreter hired by Lawlor to assist him on the business trip. The woman has since launched a number of actions for libel against Irish newspapers.

During this week’s court appearance in her own action, Mrs. Lawlor said her late husband believed he was involved in a “David and Goliath” struggle with the planning tribunal.

Mrs. Lawlor said her husband felt the state was “mercilessly” deploying unlimited resources against him.

The public sessions at the tribunal were only a part of the story. He was acutely conscious of the effect on his wife and children. He compared the proceedings in Dublin Castle with being taken up and shaken by a giant.

Mrs. Lawlor said an order for her to appear as a witness was posted on the tribunal website while the family was still grieving over his death.

She added, “My family and I are concerned that this act, which we view as callous and offensive, indicates that we will be subjected to similar treatment to that meted out to my late husband for reasons which we are at a complete loss to understand.

“I am in personal fears of the powers of the tribunal and the uses to which these powers will or could be put against me and my family. Without effective legal representation we feel completely exposed and fear that the unjust attack on my late husband is now do be redirected against us.”

Mrs. Lawlor said she and her four children shared her late husband’s feelings that the “interminable” tribunal proceedings were never going to end. They were a matter of great frustration, confusion and exhaustion to him.

Even though he made every effort to supply the information sought by the tribunal he was, nonetheless, found to be in contempt. She remembered him searching sheds and outhouses where old documents had been dumped in order to satisfy the tribunal’s “oppressive” demands for evidence.

“The task of defending his reputation was too big for my husband alone without legal representation,” Mrs. Lawlor said. “He ultimately failed and allegations were made against him which were unfounded and probably unlawful because of the unfairness of procedure involved and the failure of the tribunal to give my husband a fair opportunity to challenge his accusers.”

Mrs. Lawlor claimed the tribunal displayed “a vindictive and vengeful attitude” towards her husband.