Development of racecourse ‘proved a non-runner’

EFFORTS to develop the former Baldoyle Racecourse in north county Dublin during the early 1990s proved to be a non-runner, the Mahon Planning Tribunal heard yesterday.

Lobbyist Frank Dunlop alleges he bribed seven councillors to support the rezoning of the 400-acre property, then legally owned by Kerry-born developer John Byrne.

Pennine Holdings Ltd, which was behind the planning application, intended to establish a golf course and hotel on a 150-acre site under an option agreed with Mr Byrne. Mr Dunlop allegedly owned this company.

Three of the councillors — each of whom was allegedly paid £1,000 by Mr Dunlop for their support — have since died, tribunal lawyer Des O’Neill SC observed when the probe began yesterday.

“The remaining councillors deny that they were the recipients of any corrupt payments from Mr Dunlop,” Mr O’Neill added.

Denying allegations that they each received £1,000 are Tony Fox, Senator Don Lydon and Liam T Cosgrave. John O’Halloran denies receiving £5,000 from Mr Dunlop to support Baldoyle and other proposed developments.

Former Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor played a key role in the affair, the tribunal was told. Having served two jail terms for failing to co-operate with the tribunal’s inquiries, he was killed in a traffic accident during a business trip to Moscow a year ago.

Information available to the tribunal, said Mr O’Neill, suggested Mr Lawlor was involved in “all aspects” of the rezoning attempts by Pennine Holdings, including drafting motions for council meetings.

Mr Dunlop says the “genesis” of the idea for rezoning the 400 acres at Baldoyle was Mr Lawlor’s. The deceased politician set up the initial meeting between Mr Dunlop and Mr Byrne in the office of Davy Stockbrokers.

According to Mr Dunlop, Davy executives Brendan Hickey, of Davy Hickey Properties Ltd (DHP), and David Shubotham agreed to involve themselves in the project.

Mr O’Neill described how Mr Byrne had failed during the 1980s to get planning permission to develop his lands for residential use. His subsequent attempts all involved intermediaries who had been introduced to him by Mr Lawlor. Mr Byrne sold his interest in the Baldoyle lands in 1995 and 1998.

Mr Byrne has told the tribunal he believed DHP owned Pennine Holdings; DHP say it was owned by Mr Dunlop. But Mr Dunlop says he believes it was a shelf company provided by solicitors or “another unnamed party”.

“I do not know precisely of the beneficial ownership of Pennine Holdings in the period from its incorporation in early 1991 to December 1993,” Mr Dunlop told the tribunal in an unsigned recent statement.