Ex-FF councillor ‘wanted £100,000 to back plans for Quarryvale’

FORMER Fianna Fáil councillor Finbarr Hanrahan demanded IR£100,000 to support plans for a shopping centre that needed land rezoned, the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday.

Developer Tom Gilmartin claimed Mr Hanrahan wanted the money because the centre, planned for Quarryvale in west Dublin, would damage the local businesses he usually relied on for support.

"He [Mr Hanrahan] said 'this is going to damage quite a few of my friends in Lucan who have taken care of me over the years and if I support your scheme, I expect to get something for it'. I said, 'yeah?' He said, yeah, I want £100,000 for my support'," Mr Gilmartin told the tribunal.