FF senator ‘forgot about money’

A GOVERNMENT party senator Ann Ormonde admitted to the Mahon Planning Tribunal yesterday she failed to tell a Fianna Fáil party probe she got political donations of nearly £3,000 from Monarch development company.

Former government press secretary Frank Dunlop triggered the internal FF inquiry in 2000 when he admitted bribing councillors to vote on key planning decisions intended to benefit developer clients.

Yesterday, Ms Ormonde said: “Monarch never registered with me.” By the time she got the payment details it was too late for inclusion in the party inquiry and she forgot about the matter.