Mahon told Haughey link ruined developer’s plans
But the story doing the rounds — and picked up by the media — wasn’t true, according to solicitor John Gore-Grimes, who acted for John Byrne.
The Kerry-born developer, who then owned the Baldoyle property, is associated with a number of major Dublin office block schemes having launched his building career in the London.
During the 1960s and ‘70s he had bought up over 500 acres of green belt land in Baldoyle — including the former racecourse.
Tribunal lawyer Des O’Neill SC had outlined how Mr Byrne had failed on several occasions during the ‘70s and ‘80s to get planning permission to build houses on Baldoyle lands.
On December 17, 1984 An Bord Pleanála refused permission for Mr Byrne’s company Endcamp Ltd to develop the lands. That was Mr Byrne’s last sole application.
His subsequent attempts all involved intermediaries introduced to him by former FF TD Liam Lawlor.
By 1991, according to Mr Gore-Grimes, they had come to the conclusion they were not going to get planning permission because of the “untruth” being perpetuated that the late Taoiseach held an interest in the Baldoyle lands.
After his setback, Mr Byrne “became heartily sick of Baldoyle” and eventually sold off the property.
Mr Gore-Grimes said he wrote to Mr Byrne in January 1993 that the council had served a compulsory purchase order on a small part of the Baldoyle lands owned by Mr Byrne’s company Endcamp Ltd.
“It seems to indicate they want to use it for a halting site. I think we will have to make strong objections to this and I would recommend that counsel is employed,” he wrote.
Asked about lobbyist Frank Dunlop’s role, Mr Gore-Grimes said they had considered he was a PR man, but only realised later he was financially involved.
Mr Dunlop alleges he bribed seven councillors to vote to rezone the Baldoyle lands. Three of the councillors are now dead; the other four deny receiving corrupt payments from Mr Dunlop.
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