Aer Rianta suspected corruption in rezoning deals

AER Rianta suspected corruption was behind some Dublin County Council rezoning decisions in the 1990s, former general manager Brian Byrne told the Mahon Planning Tribunal yesterday.

Rumours were circulating, he said, after councillors Joe Higgins (Ind) and Bernie Malone (Lab) indicated “there was something untoward going on in relation to other councillors”.

Pressed by tribunal lawyer Patricia Dillon SC as to what he understood that to mean, Mr Byrne replied: “I think one expression was there were leeches on the body of the country ... Some sort of corruption, to be honest with you.”