Lawlor paid £153,000 for Quarryvale support

THE late Liam Lawlor has been placed at the heart of planning corruption in Dublin after the Mahon Tribunal heard yesterday that he was paid at least £153,000 in bribes by Frank Dunlop to support the controversial Quarryvale development in west Dublin.

Two senior Fianna Fáil figures Dublin North TD GV Wright and Senator Don Lydon were also among a total of 14 members of Dublin County Council in the early 1990s named by Mr Dunlop as receiving corrupt payments.

Both men had also been linked with allegations of seeking money in return for their votes on other controversial planning issues in earlier hearings of the tribunal.

Yesterday's opening statement on the Quarryvale II module read out by tribunal barrister Patricia Dillon SC revealed that the PR consultant had spent a total of £232,000 from his "war chest" of secret bank accounts on bribing politicians.

All 14 councillors deny the allegations. However, many admit receiving payments from Mr Dunlop but insist they were legitimate political donations.