Dunlop says practice was widespread

FRANK DUNLOP admitted yesterday he should have smelt the rot at the core of key planning decisions in the 1990s.

The former government press secretary told the Flood Tribunal he had thought long and hard in recent times about his involvement in the vote-buying practices he alleges were widespread among Dublin county councillors over the past decade.

But asked if had not seen anything wrong with facilitating deals with councillors he alleges were more interested in financial gain than proper planning, he said he had not.

"How truthful do you want me to be? I obviously did not find it odd. As subsequent events proved, it became common practice."

Dunlop said he became aware of the practice, not by any sudden discovery, but gradually through a "confluence of influences".

The first time he recalled the issue being raised directly with him was when a senior councillor, now deceased, had asked him "how did I think I was going to get this particular item through without his involvement?" He said he had to point out to this councillor he was representing an area 20 miles or more from the proposed development and the local councillors, virtually without exception, were in favour of it.

The first occasion he remembered being directly asked for money was when Fianna Fáil councillor Sean Gilbride spoke to him about an upcoming vote and told him: "This will cost you". He thought that approach related to the Quarryvale development.

Dunlop said that in 1990 he was recommended by then Fianna Fáil deputy Liam Lawlor to a developer who wanted to submit a planning application that would contravene the county development plan. This developer whose name Dunlop was asked by the tribunal not to disclose verbally but to write down on a piece of paper wanted to know how to get support from councillors.

This was the first major planning decision Dunlop was involved in and he arranged to approach every councillor individually and invite them on a day trip to meet representatives of the developer and see their plans.

No money changed hands but 20-22 councillors came on the trip which included lunch and dinner at the expense of the developer. The material contravention was subsequently passed by 55 votes to one.

Dunlop also described how he came to know many elected representatives during the 1980s when he served as government press secretary, Fianna Fáil press officer and official in the Departments of Education and Environment where his responsibilities included media relations.

He and Liam Lawlor were friendly" and met regularly. When he left public service to join a PR company in 1986 and subsequently set up his own firm, Lawlor would "put work his way".

It was Lawlor who recommended, in 1991, that he be retained to help businessman Jim Kennedy who was trying to get lands at Carrickmines in south County Dublin rezoned. Kennedy denies any involvement with the lands or with Lawlor but Dunlop said Kennedy left him in no doubt he owned the lands and he kept referring to Lawlor as "Liam" and saying Liam had been "helpful" in the past and would be in the rezoning attempt.

He left the meeting with Kennedy agreeing £25,000 to help with the rezoning campaign and with full knowledge this was meant for councillors.