Cosgrave denies receiving vote bribe

FORMER TD and senator Liam Cosgrave yesterday denied that a day after the Planning Tribunal was established he demanded cash in return for supporting a rezoning motion.

Mr Cosgrave, a member of one the State's best-known political dynasties, accused Frank Dunlop of naming him as a recipient of corrupt payments because he knew he did not keep accurate records of political donations The Mahon Tribunal probing planning corruption questioned Mr Cosgrave a Fine Gael TD in the '80s, senator throughout the '90s and still a councillor over claims he received a payment of £1,000 for supporting the rezoning of 22 acres of land owned by St Gerard's School near Bray, Co Wicklow.

He has admitted receiving money totalling £7,000 from Mr Dunlop, but said they were donations to pay for election expenses.

Mr Dunlop has alleged he met Mr Cosgrave on November 5, 1997 to discuss. the land owned by St Gerard's. He said Mr Cosgrave refused to sign the rezoning motion though he asked for £1,000 for his support when it came before Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council. Mr Cosgrave said he did not remember that meeting and had not discussed the land at St Gerard's with the lobbyist. If asked, he said, he would have probably signed the motion, as he had done when a similar rezoning application was lodged five years previously.

He did not ask for £1,000 and disputes Mr Dunlop's claim that he received that amount the following March, despite the rezoning motion being defeated.

Mr Cosgrave also refuted suggestions he and Mr Dunlop conspired to agree that all payments made to the politician were legitimate donations. This is alleged to have happened during a lunch at Dublin's Buswell's Hotel on an unknown date after the establishment of the tribunal.

Tribunal counsel Patricia Dillon expressed surprise that Mr Cosgrave, at that meeting, or any other, never asked Mr Dunlop how much was paid and how many payments were made. Mr Cosgrave was questioned closely about his financial records in the early months of 1998, around the time it is alleged he was paid £1,000. He said bank and post office cash lodgements totalling £1,680, which could not have come from his Senate pay cheque, must have been part of his council, Senate and law firm expenses. The Mahon Tribunal yesterday completed the short module investigating alleged payments in connection with the St Gerard's land and will probe again rezoning at Carrickmines in south Dublin when it resumes public sittings next month.