Account evidence backs Dunlop claims
Lawyers for Mr Hand’s family admitted yesterday that they had recently discovered the existence of two bank accounts in Australia which had been held by their father.
The family’s solicitor Vivian Matthews told the inquiry that following inquiries at the request of the tribunal they had established that Mr Hand had held two accounts with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia between 1991 and 1993.
Mr Dunlop told the tribunal last month that he had been given a piece of headed notepaper with the bank’s name by Mr Hand in 1992. It had contained what appeared to be the details of a bank account in Mr Hand’s handwriting.
Mr Dunlop said Mr Hand had given him the note because he wanted the £250,000 he was seeking for his support on Quarryvale to be transferred to the offshore bank account.
Mr Hand’s family had previously denied the note could have been written by the late councillor. However, Mr Matthews said they now accepted it was Mr Hand’s handwriting on the piece of paper, although they insist they never had any knowledge of the accounts.
It is the second time in the past fortnight that new information has emerged to corroborate Mr Dunlop’s claims about widespread corruption involving developers and politicians.
Last week, the tribunal said it had established that a funeral had taken place in a Dublin church on November 11, 1992.
It had previously been unable to prove any such ceremony had taken place in the church on that date.
However, Mr Dunlop had maintained that the former Fine Gael TD Liam Cosgrave had asked to meet him outside the church on the date in question.
Mr Cosgrave strenuously denies Mr Dunlop’s allegations he was paid £5,000 by the lobbyist outside the church in Blackrock. The councillor claims he has no recollection of attending any such funeral.
Mr Dunlop concluded his evidence after 23 days in the witness box.
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