Caldwell denies playing role in bribe bid
Solicitor John Caldwell told the Planning Tribunal he never got involved with efforts to have lands owned by Paisley Park (and later, Jackson Way Properties) at Carrickmines, Co Dublin, rezoned.
Mr Caldwell also expressed regret that he became the public face for the firms by agreeing to give the RTÉ reporter Charlie Bird an off-the-record briefing in 2000.
He believed Mr Bird had been prompted to investigate the issue by another party who had an interest in “neutralising” the Jackson Way lands.
Mr Caldwell said political lobbyist Frank Dunlop had advised him and Jackson Way’s other owner, Jim Kennedy, they needed a spokesperson to deal with media interest as the company was “shrouded in mystery”. The solicitor said he reluctantly agreed to meet Mr Bird.
The tribunal is investigating claims by Mr Dunlop that he bribed councillors on behalf of the owners of the Carrickmines lands during the 1990s in return for their votes to rezone the property.
Mr Caldwell described a vociferous local group in south Dublin who were opposed to the rezoning of the lands as people “who wanted to keep Carrickmines Valley green for themselves and their dogs”.
However, he stressed he played no role in the drafting of any motions to rezone the lands. He also denied having any conversation with Mr Dunlop about how councillors might vote.
“It was a matter of indifference to me,” he said. “It was not part of my role or interest in what was going on. Councillors’ names would have meant nothing to me.”
He said another attempt to have the land rezoned in 1997 as part of a joint application with the owners of some neighbouring property was “a complete damp squib that had no possibility of succeeding”.
Mr Caldwell said he had not tried to stop the effort as Mr Kennedy had felt it was worthwhile. However, 26 acres of the land were ultimately rezoned, which Mr Caldwell admitted had increased their value by around £150,000 per acre or £3.9m in total.
Ian Finlay, SC for Mr Caldwell, claimed some of the questioning by tribunal barristers was unfair as Mr Dunlop had made no allegation of impropriety against his client in relation to the Carrickmines lands.
