Lawlor ‘central to bribes’

FORMER Government Press Secretary, Frank Dunlop has claimed Liam Lawlor played a central role in efforts to bribe politicians to support a controversial planning issue in 1992.

The Flood Tribunal is investigating allegations that businessman, Jim Kennedy, paid Mr Dunlop £25,000 to bribe councillors in return for their votes to rezone lands in south Dublin owned by offshore company, Paisley Park. It has also heard claims that Mr Lawlor had a beneficial interest in the company, although this has been denied by the former Fianna Fáil TD.

Mr Dunlop told the tribunal yesterday that he understood from his initial meeting with Mr Kennedy about the Carrickmines lands that paying money to councillors would be “a key element”. He claimed Mr Lawlor was the first person to say to him that councillors would have to be paid in order to get the motion passed by the council.