A former political lobbyist has told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that he made cash payments to county councillors to secure their votes for the rezoning of land.

HAVE you heard the good news?

Micheál Martin has said evidence from the Mahon Report was sufficient enough to pursue charges against party officials.

In any movie involving dodgy payments to politicians, you need a go-between, a “bag man”. Frank Dunlop came right out of central casting.

The tribunal commended current minister and Labour TD Pat Rabbitte for giving back a £2,000 donation he received from lobbyist Frank Dunlop in 1992.

The Mahon Tribunal has withheld publication of one section of its groundbreaking report on planning corruption as several councillors and a businessman are facing an upcoming criminal trial on related matters.

A notorious appearance on 'The Late Late Show' was the beginning of the end for Padraig Flynn.

Plans by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group to refit and relaunch a yacht once owned by Charles Haughey have moved a step closer after the group received a funding boost.

Businessman Jim Kennedy, who is accused of numerous counts of corrupt payments to politicians, was served with a book of evidence today and sent forward for trial before a judge and jury.

BUSINESSMAN Jim Kennedy, who was last week charged with numerous counts of corrupt payments to politicians, was remanded on continuing bail when he appeared at Cloverhill District Court.

Businessman Jim Kennedy, who is charged with making corrupt payments to politicians, has taken up bail.

FOUR former Fianna Fáil councillors and businessman Jim Kennedy are to face a criminal trial on charges of planning corruption related to the rezoning of lands in Carrickmines, Co Dublin, during the 1990s.

Four former Fianna Fáil politicians and a Gibraltar-based businessman tonight appeared in court in connection with a multimillion-euro land deal alleged to be corrupt.

FORMER government press secretary Frank Dunlop has been given 18 months in prison and fined €30,000 for making corrupt payments to politicians over the rezoning of land at Carrickmines in south Dublin during the 1990s.

Former Government press secretary Frank Dunlop will be sentenced today for five counts of corruption.

Former Government press secretary and lobbyist Frank Dunlop has pleaded guilty to bribing Dublin County Councillors to vote in favour of a land deal in the 90s.

CORK developer Owen O’Callaghan admitted yesterday he had failed to inform gardaí about his knowledge of planning corruption, despite being aware of allegations of bribery against three politicians, including the late Liam Lawlor.

DUBLIN county councillor Therese Ridge has described a IR£250,000 bribe allegation against a fellow Fine Gael member as “amazing, unbelievable and even quite hilarious”.

FORMER lobbyist Frank Dunlop denied at the Mahon Tribunal yesterday he fabricated a meeting with a councillor in the early 1990s to conceal a payment of IR£55,000 to a senior politician.

FINE GAEL frontbench TD Olivia Mitchell could not explain to the Mahon Tribunal yesterday how documents relating to allegations of bribery against fellow party councillor Tom Hand ended up in the Leinster House car park.

After twice denying that Frank Dunlop had informed him in 1993 that the late Tom Hand, a Fine Gael councillor, had demanded £250,000 to support the Quarryvale development, it is extraordinary that former taoiseach John Bruton told the Mahon Tribunal yesterday that he now remembers that Frank Dunlop did indeed tell him.

LOBBYIST Frank Dunlop described yesterday how former Fine Gael leader John Bruton remarked the world was not “populated by angels” when he was informed a party councillor was seeking a corrupt payment for his vote.

FORMER lobbyist Frank Dunlop was quizzed at the Mahon Tribunal yesterday on why he had lied in his evidence seven years ago over a payment of £40,000 to ex-Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor.

Property developer Owen O'Callaghan has accused the late Fine Gael Councillor Tom Hand of seeking £250,000 punt in return for planning favours.

THERE’S a flicker of hope that the long-running saga surrounding plans by the Government to purchase the Great Blasket Island may be slowly grinding to an end.

FORMER lobbyist Frank Dunlop has denied he’s protecting senior politicians and that he has evidence of corruption in tax designation schemes.

FORMER lobbyist Frank Dunlop has linked one of the country’s best known businessmen, Joe Moran, with allegations of planning corruption over the rezoning of lands near Swords, Co Dublin, in the early 1990s.

Former political lobbyist Frank Dunlop has been giving further details to the Mahon Tribunal today about the system of planning corruption he says was rife among Dublin county councillors in the 1980s and 1990s.

Former political lobbyist Frank Dunlop has told the Mahon Tribunal that he cannot explain discrepancies in his evidence about the alleged bribery of Dublin county councillors in the early 1990s.

A FIANNA FÁIL senator is due to be named today as one of a number of politicians who accepted an alleged bribe in return for voting in favour of a controversial rezoning issue.

COLD water is continuing to be poured over an €8.5m development plan for the Great Blasket island.

FORMER Fine Gael TD Liam Cosgrave has denied conspiring with Frank Dunlop to mislead the Flood Tribunal by claiming any bribes he received from the political lobbyist were legitimate political donations.

POLITICIANS accused of planning corruption by political lobbyist Frank Dunlop are finally set to make their first appearance at the Flood Tribunal this week.

THE Flood Tribunal has heard new evidence to support claims by Frank Dunlop that the late Fine Gael councillor, Tom Hand, demanded £250,000 in return for his support of the controversial Quarryvale project in 1992.

FORMER Government press secretary Frank Dunlop has denied accusations that he forged his diaries to implicate Fine Gael councillor Liam Cosgrave in allegations of planning corruption.

A FIANNA FÁIL councillor has been criticised by the Flood Tribunal yesterday over his failure to make a full discovery of documents relating to the inquiry’s investigation into alleged planning corruption.

A DECEASED Fine Gael councillor demanded £250,000 for his support of a major property development in Dublin in the early 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.

FIANNA Fáil senator Don Lydon actively sought a £5,000 bribe from political lobbyist Frank Dunlop, 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.

FIANNA FÁIL are standing by underfire Senator Don Lydon, despite allegations that he sought a £5,000 bribe to support a controversial rezoning.

Legal teams for Senator Don Lydon, Liam Cosgrave and the late Tom Hand have raised objections about evidence given by Frank Dunlop at the Flood Tribunal today.

“IT’LL cost you.”

THE Flood Tribunal has rejected an application by the family of a deceased Fine Gael councillor, Tom Hand, that it should not inquire into allegations he was involved in planning corruption.