Dunlop admits to buying politicians and votes
The ultimatum was issued by the former Fianna Fáil councillor, Seán Gilbride, who represented the Balbriggan area from 1985 to 1999.
On his return to the Flood Tribunal yesterday after a 2½-year gap, Mr Dunlop explained how he first became aware that politicians were in the habit of seeking money in relation to planning when he was approached by Mr Gilbride in the early 1990s.
The councillor made the demand in return for his support for the controversial Quarryvale (now Liffey Valley) development in west Dublin. (Two years ago, he told a Fianna Fáil internal inquiry team that Quarryvale's developer, Owen O'Callaghan paid him £12,000 in 1992 when he had to take a year's leave of absence from work for health reasons.)
As a man who didn't "live on a different planet," Mr Dunlop soon realised that councillors were offering to become signatories to proposed rezoning motions, while others would also go around touting potential paymasters for their support. However, the warning signs were becoming quite evident. On another occasion, Mr Dunlop recalled that a now deceased councillor had also hinted that votes could be bought.
"A remark was passed to me to the effect that how did I think I was going to get a particular item through without his involvement," he recalled.
Prior to that, the former Government press secretary turned PR consultant had only one exposure to the world of planning when he successfully advised a landowner in 1990 on how to obtain a material contravention to have his property rezoned by the council.
Interestingly, Mr Dunlop claims he was recommended by Liam Lawlor - the former Fianna Fáil TD whom he has now firmly placed at the centre of other allegations of planning corruption.
Although his evidence lacked the drama of his first appearances at the Tribunal back in 2000, Mr Dunlop went on to outline the system which operated in Dublin County Council over the past decade where the support of "a nexus of councillors" was needed to ensure a rezoning motion would be passed.
He shed light on the operation of the council where Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael members generally operated a party whip to support pro-development motions. On the other hand, Labour councillors were a waste of time for your avid rezoner. "It was my experience you would rarely achieve any success with members of the Labour Party," said Mr Dunlop.
The first time he actually bribed councillors himself was allegedly on behalf of Jim Kennedy, the owner of Paisley Park who wanted lands in Carrickmines, Co Dublin, rezoned. The amusement arcade owner told Mr Dunlop that he had previous involvement in such deals with the Dundrum-based councillor, Tom Hand.
Mr Kennedy claimed that the late Fine Gael politician had sought and been paid money and still went looking for more cash. (The tribunal is also investigating reports that Mr Hand once asked Mr Dunlop for £250,000 for his support on Quarryvale.)
Mr Dunlop said he was advised by Mr Kennedy to contact "Liam" the businessman's normal description for Mr Lawlor, with whom the PR man subsequently discussed which councillors to approach. Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, Mr Dunlop said he was surprised that he didn't see anything wrong with the practice at the time. Now he "freely, absolutely and honestly" admits that he wittingly involved himself in buying politicians and their votes. Whether such an admission will still cost him remains to be seen.
