PEOPLE believe the planning process “is still not as clean as it should be” — despite the ongoing work of the Mahon Planning Tribunal, Labour TD Sean Ryan said yesterday.

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern was “very much in evidence” at a Fianna Fáil fundraiser attended by land speculators whose north Dublin property rezoning is being probed by the Mahon Planning Tribunal, it emerged yesterday.

JUDGE Gerald Keys of the Mahon Planning Tribunal suggested yesterday councillors might have acted irresponsibly by ignoring safety fears when they voted to rezone land near Dublin Airport in 1993.

FORMER Monarch property company executive Richard Lynn will deny in testimony he knew lobbyist Frank Dunlop bribed councillors for their votes, the Mahon planning tribunal was told yesterday.

PLANNING tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon yesterday criticised a former Fianna Fáil councillor for giving the impression he got no payments from developers.

A GOVERNMENT party senator Ann Ormonde admitted to the Mahon Planning Tribunal yesterday she failed to tell a Fianna Fáil party probe she got political donations of nearly £3,000 from Monarch development company.

PUBLIC relations consultant Bill O’Herlihy is standing over his allegation that an executive with Monarch development company told him £100,000 (€126,973) had to be paid to councillors to get rezoning, the Mahon planning tribunal heard yesterday.

The Taoiseach was today challenged to take action against a TD and senator under the spotlight of the Mahon Tribunal into planning corruption.

A SOLICITOR admitted yesterday that he had failed to respond to direct questions about the ownership of lands at the centre of planning corruption allegations when initially asked by the Planning Tribunal three years ago.

A SOLICITOR has told the Planning Tribunal that political lobbyist Frank Dunlop may have brought his name into allegations about planning corruption “as an element of retribution.”

A FORMER Fianna Fáil councillor has blamed alleged leaks from the Planning Tribunal for his de-selection by the party before the 1999 local elections.

FRANK DUNLOP has admitted he colluded with councillors and property developers to mislead the Flood Tribunal by claiming all his payments to politicians were legitimate donations.

FRANK Dunlop has admitted receiving a total of £1.15m in the early 1990s to secure planning permission for a single, large-scale development in Dublin.

FIANNA FÁIL has been sharply criticised by Frank Dunlop for suggesting the party did not attempt to instruct its members on Dublin Co Council how to vote on planning issues during the late 1980s and 1990s.

POLITICAL lobbyist Frank Dunlop was “under siege” from councillors demanding money in the run-up to the 1991 local elections, the Flood Tribunal heard yesterday.

FORMER Government Press Secretary, Frank Dunlop has claimed Liam Lawlor played a central role in efforts to bribe politicians to support a controversial planning issue in 1992.

ATTEMPTS by landowners to get property rezoned by Dublin Co Council were rarely successful without the assistance of local politicians, the Flood Tribunal heard yesterday.

FORMER Fine Gael TD and senator Liam Cosgrave took almost two years to make a full reply to the Flood Tribunal about allegations he received up to £19,000 from lobbyist Frank Dunlop and only made an effort when issued with a witness summons.

FRANK Dunlop has told the Flood Tribunal he paid a total of £30,000 to nine past and present councillors in Dublin in return for their votes on controversial rezoning motions relating to lands in south Dublin during the 1990s.

IT’S a mystery that would challenge the abilities of Kojak and Columbo combined.

THE identity of councillors named by Frank Dunlop as having taken money in return for votes on a controversial South Dublin rezoning project may become publicly known today when the Flood Tribunal resumes hearings.

RAY Burke's period as chairman of Dublin Co Council will be examined in the next stage of the Flood Tribunal after its findings that the former minister received corrupt payments in the late 1980s.

ALMOST 60 separate allegations of planning corruption are still under investigation by the Flood Tribunal.