Councillors reject lawyers’ claim they acted like ‘a pair of puppets’

TWO Dublin-based councillors have rejected suggestions by lawyers for the Planning Tribunal that they acted like “a pair of puppets” in supporting rezoning motions promoted by the political lobbyist, Frank Dunlop.

Fine Gael’s Michael Joe Cosgrave and Fianna Fáil’s Liam Creaven, who both represent the Howth area on Fingal County Council, said their voting record was explained by their strong stance in favour of development in Dublin.

However, they accepted that they had supported practically every rezoning motion linked to Mr Dunlop over the past decade.

Both councillors also admitted that they had provided inaccurate information about political donations to internal party inquiries into payments to politicians three years ago.

Yesterday, Mr Cosgrave acknowledged that he had forgotten to tell the Fine Gael inquiry that he had received a £1,000 donation from Ballymore Homes in 1993.

The former Fine Gael TD also admitted that he had no recollection of ever voting against a planning development which was promoted by Mr Dunlop.

Mr Creaven also admitted receiving £1,000 from Ballymore Homes around the same time as Mr Cosgrave, which he too had failed to mention to the Fianna Fáil inquiry.

Both men stressed that it was coincidence that they received the money at the same time, forgot it around the same time and revealed it to the tribunal at the same time.