Senior Ulster Unionist politicians have given an apparent stamp of approval
to a Northern Ireland businessman allegedly linked to "IRA dirty money".
Two senior UUP figures posed for photographs with multi-millionaire Belfast
property developer, Peter Curistan, at a black-tie dinner before the party's
annual general meeting. Guests included UUP leader, Sir Reg Empey, and
North Down MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon.
Speaking under parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons in February,
DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson, accused Curistan of "association with the
IRA's dirty money". Curistan has denied the allegations.
At the dinner in the Stormont hotel a fortnight ago, UUP chief executive,
Will Corry, and party officer, Basil McCrea, posed for photographs with
Curistan. A senior UUP source said the move had caused "extreme anger".
"It was bad enough that Curistan was at the dinner but it was really poor
judgement to be posing for pictures with him," the source said.
A UUP spokesman said a table at the function had been sold to a political
and public affairs' company Curistan had hired and that it had invited him.
"At a social function you can't assume everybody knows whom everybody else
is," he said.
In the Commons in February, Peter Robinson demanded the British government
fully investigate the Sheridan group, of which Curistan is chairman. He
linked Curistan to Dessie Mackin, Sinn Féin's finance director, whom
Robinson claimed was the IRA's head of finance and has a conviction for IRA
membership in the mid-80s.
Mackin and Curistan are co-directors of numerous companies, seven of which –
Century City, Strike Four, Flix Restaurants, Daylong, Sheridan Simulation,
Sheridan Theatres Dublin and Grovepark Properties – were prosecuted last
December in Dublin's District Court for failing to keep proper accounts.
The companies, most of which were based in the Parnell Centre, pleaded
guilty. Curistan was the key developer of Belfast's flagship entertainment
complex, the Odyssey Centre, which received around £45 million lottery
funding. Cursitan has said he is "horrified" at Robinson's "scandalous
allegations that put my life and my family's life in jeopardy".
After the allegations, Curistan hired political and public affairs'
consultancy, Stratagem, which is headed by Quintin Oliver who directed the
Belfast Agreement 'Yes' campaign.
Curistan showed up at the launch of the SDLP's United Ireland masterplan in
February, attended by party leader Mark Durkan and deputy leader, Alasdair
McDonnell. He had not received an invitation. It is understood Stratagem
believes that attending events, such as the UUP black-tie dinner, shows
Curistan is "not radioactive".
The British government has called in accountants BDO Stoy Hayward to perform
a routine due diligence check on Curistan's books in order to assess whether
his Sheridan group retains its development contract with the Laganside
Corporation. The £90million Queen's Quay project is to transform Belfast's
docklands into a luxury development. Curistan has said he is confident work
will begin soon.
