Cosgrave took two years to reply to tribunal

FORMER Fine Gael TD and senator Liam Cosgrave took almost two years to make a full reply to the Flood Tribunal about allegations he received up to £19,000 from lobbyist Frank Dunlop and only made an effort when issued with a witness summons.

The chairman of the Tribunal, Mr Justice Fergus Flood, wrote to the councillor expressing his disappointment that a member of the Oireachtas had failed to avail of the opportunity to make a voluntary statement.

When Mr Cosgrave eventually made the first of two statements in March 2001, he said he took grave exception to the rumours and innuendo about councillors having ulterior motives for their stance on planning matters.

“I at all times carried out my duty in accordance with the law,” he said.

Mr Cosgrave did, however agree he received a number of payments from Mr Dunlop but said they were all election donations given in relation to the 1992 general election, 1993 Seanad election, 1997 Seanad election and 1999 local election.

“These were bona fide election donations,” he said.

Mr Cosgrave’s statement was one of a litany of denials which the tribunal heard from councillors accused by Frank Dunlop of taking money from developers.

A letter from Fianna Fáil Cllr Tony Fox received earlier this week said neither developers, land-owners nor lobbyists played any role in his decisions on planning matters and he had never solicited, received or was offered money or other benefits in return for support for rezoning proposals.

Former Fianna Fáil and now independent councillor Colm McGrath said he received a number of payments ranging in amounts from £500 to £2,000 but they were all legitimate political donations.

John O’Halloran, a one-time Fianna Fáil and independent councillor said he personally solicited a sum of £2,500 from Frank Dunlop but this was as a political contribution.

It was also heard the tribunal began writing in July this year to almost 100 former county councillors, all former and present Dun Laoghaire Rathdown councillors and all former and serving senior officials of the old Dublin Co Council and the current four councils in the county with a long list of questions about planning practices.