‘Ill-advised’ to ignore requests for donations

IT would be like “shooting yourself in the foot” to ignore a politician’s request for a donation towards their election expenses, a former financial director of Monarch Properties development company admitted to the Mahon Planning Tribunal yesterday.

Politicians could hold a grudge and might not support development plans if they did not receive donations towards their election expenses, according to Dominic Glennane.

The tribunal is investigating a series of unexplained cash payments amounting to £160,000 made by Monarch between 1991 and 1996, attributed to “general promotion” connected with the company’s Cherrywood housing project in south Dublin.