Mahon tribunal hears of safety fears being ignored

JUDGE Gerald Keys of the Mahon Planning Tribunal suggested yesterday councillors might have acted irresponsibly by ignoring safety fears when they voted to rezone land near Dublin Airport in 1993.

As a member of Dublin Co Council who backed the Cloghran rezoning, deputy GV Wright rejected the judge’s interpretation. He pointed out a number of other projects had been sited close by including the substantial Team Aer Lingus building.

Mr Wright, who represents Dublin North constituency where the rezoning took place, also strongly rejected claims of receiving £1,000 from lobbyist Frank Dunlop to vote for the development.

But he acknowledged receiving political donations of £10,000 — in cash — from Mr Dunlop between 1991 and 1993. He received £5,000 in Mr Dunlop’s office; £3,000 in an envelope in the environs of the council offices, and £2,000 — wrapped in a newspaper — in the Dáil bar.

Denying Mr Dunlop’s claim, Mr Wright said this proposal would have brought jobs into his constituency and he would not need some sort of payment to support it.

Referring to the controversial rezoning, Judge Keys said councillors had a map in front of them showing the red zone area; that something built in that area would have a seriously detrimental effect on the safety of aircraft landing on runway 11/29.

The tribunal had been told how Aer Rianta, the airports authority, had warned the 18 acres of agricultural land up for rezoning lay in the flight path of this runway.

When Mr Wright said developments were going on all around the area, Judge Keys said that was irrelevant.

Tony Fox, a member of Dublin Co Council in 1993, said he never got any money from Frank Dunlop. The lobbyist alleged Mr Fox asked for money and he gave him £1,000 before a council vote on the Cloghran lands in September 1993.

Entries in Mr Dunlop’s phone diary recorded a call made by Mr Fox the day before a council vote on the Cloghran rezoning motion, requesting the lobbyist to contact him but Mr Fox could not recall why he wanted Mr Dunlop to return his call.