Dunlop admits receiving £1.15m

FRANK Dunlop has admitted receiving a total of £1.15m in the early 1990s to secure planning permission for a single, large-scale development in Dublin.

The political lobbyist told the Flood Tribunal yesterday it was during this project he became aware of the system of councillors seeking money in return for their votes.

Mr Dunlop also claimed five out of 10 developers, who had engaged his services on planning matters before Dublin Co Council, were aware he was involved in bribing councillors.

However, he stressed that the developer behind the £1.15m deal was unaware of any such illegal payments.

Although Mr Dunlop did not publicly identify the development, it is a clear reference to Quarryvale the controversial shopping centre in west Dublin (now known as Liffey Valley) developed by the Cork-based millionaire, Owen O'Callaghan.

The former Government press secretary said he had received various payments including two sums of £40,000 and one of £25,000 in relation to the development. However, Mr Dunlop insisted his client had no knowledge he had engaged in bribing politicians. "He did not know I was paying money to councillors for votes and success," said Mr Dunlop.

However, he admitted he discussed with the developer the issue of making donations to councillors at election times. Asked if his client was Mr Clean, while he (Dunlop) was doing the dirt, Mr Dunlop replied: "The thrust of your question is correct."

He claimed he was dealing with around half of the 78 members of the council at the time, although not all these councillors would have looked for money in return for their support of a development.

Although he kept no notes of how much money he paid to individual politicians, Mr Dunlop said he had no doubt about the identity of such councillors as a result of consulting the 'road map' of the council's development plan between 1991 and 1993.