O’Herlihy stands over £100,000 payment claim

PUBLIC relations consultant Bill O’Herlihy is standing over his allegation that an executive with Monarch development company told him £100,000 (€126,973) had to be paid to councillors to get rezoning, the Mahon planning tribunal heard yesterday.

Tribunal lawyer Patricia Dillon SC said the RTÉ sports broadcaster gave the information in a private interview to the tribunal in late 2000, but omitted it from his statement.

Mr O’Herlihy, hired by Monarch between 1991 and May 1992, is due before the tribunal next month.

In her opening statement to the tribunal last week, Ms Dillon said Mr O’Herlihy had described Monarch executive Richard Lynn telling him “it was not possible to get a planning application or a material contravention through Dublin Co Council unless it was bought”.

Mr O’Herlihy, she added, had told the tribunal Mr Lynn confirmed that money was involved in the Monarch project at Cherrywood, in south Dublin.

The tribunal is investigating the rezoning of 236 acres of Cherrywood lands in the 1990s, during which Monarch made payments totalling over £500,000.