Fianna Fáil councillor insists he did not take bribe

ONE of the longest-serving Fianna Fáil councillors in Dublin has vehemently denied taking £1,000 from Frank Dunlop for supporting efforts to rezone land owned by St Gerard’s School in Bray for housing.

Tony Fox, who has been a councillor since 1985, told the inquiry that he had “absolutely, truthfully, never” discussed the project with the political lobbyist.

Mr Dunlop claims Mr Fox refused to sign a motion to rezone the St Gerard’s lands at a meeting in a pub near Mount Argus on September 23, 1997, even though he still sought £1,000 to support the proposal.

Asked why Mr Dunlop would have reason to put an entry of such a meeting in his diary if it were untrue, he replied: ” I wouldn’t have a clue.”

However, he accepted it was unlikely Mr Dunlop would take such a high risk to put in a retrospective diary entry when he would not know if Mr Fox might have an alibi for the date in question.

It is the second allegation which the former government press secretary has made against Mr Fox, who represents Dundrum on Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.

The tribunal has already heard claims by Mr Dunlop he paid Mr Fox two payments of £5,000 and £2,000 for his vote in rezoning lands at Carrickmines. The ownership of the site is currently under investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

In his third appearance at Dublin Castle yesterday, Mr Fox admitted twice voting in favour of rezoning the St Gerard’s lands during the 1990s against the advice of council officials.

While he was chairman of the council in 1997, when it adopted a development plan to keep a green belt area between Bray and Shankill, Mr Fox explained he subsequently voted to overturn this because he had received representations from St Gerard’s that the rezoning would help to improve facilities at the private, co-educational school.

Although no Fianna Fáil member voted against the rezoning, Mr Fox denied there was a consensus among his party colleagues to vote as a group.

While both motions to rezone St Gerard’s were defeated, Mr Fox pointed out the current council manager had recommended rezoning the lands for housing.

Under cross-examination by tribunal barrister Patricia Dillon SC, Mr Fox was forced to admit he had previously failed to mention he made 31 phone calls to Mr Dunlop between 1992 and 1994.

Mr Fox, a tailor from Mountain View Park, Churchtown, argued that he hadn’t been asked about these contacts before, adding that they would all have related to the development of a Texas Homecare store in his area.

“I hope to get re-elected in June,” he said. Mr Fox has been ratified to stand in next year’s local elections.