Dunlop ‘may have sought revenge’

A SOLICITOR has told the Planning Tribunal that political lobbyist Frank Dunlop may have brought his name into allegations about planning corruption “as an element of retribution.”

John Caldwell disagreed yesterday with several aspects of Mr Dunlop’s evidence about the planning history of lands owned by the solicitor and the tax exile businessman, Jim Kennedy, at Carrickmines in south Dublin.

He suggested an explanation for this was that Mr Dunlop had a motive for revenge over their prior dealings on another controversial development at Baldoyle on the other side of the city.

However, tribunal barrister John Gallagher, SC, pointed out that Mr Dunlop had not made any allegations of bribery against the witness in relation to the Carrickmines lands.

Although the solicitor accepted this point, he noted that much of Mr Dunlop’s evidence about the property was “very precise but wrong.” He described the PR consultant as “a man with the biggest ego” who was very articulate and polished.

Mr Caldwell rejected suggestions that Mr Dunlop’s first experience of dealing with councillors was in relation to the Carrickmines lands. “He was no amateur appearing on the scene,” remarked Mr Caldwell, adding that the lobbyist had already being involved with Dublin Co Council about the Baldoyle site.

Mr Caldwell admitted that there was an agreement to pay the lobbyist a success fee of £200,000 if the Carrickmines lands were rezoned. However, he firmly denied any knowledge of attempts to bribe councillors in return for their votes.

He also admitted that he and Mr Kennedy “through a plethora of structures” were the ultimate beneficial owners of the lands. Any proceeds from the sale of the property would eventually be split on a 50-50 basis.

However, Mr Caldwell played down suggestions by tribunal lawyers that the lands could be worth €100m, claiming the figure was “much the top end of the scale.” But he conceded that their value was “many multiples of €10m.”

The solicitor said the Carrickmines lands had been bought as a speculative purchase, even though he was aware that there were would be legal and infrastructural difficulties in terms of access and a restriction on development.

Asked about Mr Kennedy’s refusal to co-operate with the inquiry, Mr Caldwell said the businessman was not prepared to have his affairs “torn apart in the public domain” by spending several years of his life dealing with the tribunal. From speaking to the Isle of Man-based millionaire, he told the tribunal that Mr Kennedy regarded himself as an innocent man who had been wrongly accused of paying money to politicians.

In other evidence, Mr Caldwell rejected claims that he had shredded a confidential rezoning map.