Dunlop graduates from tribunal witness to legal eagle
“After three years’ hard studies — with all the intrusions — I’m very pleased I managed to get through,” he said.
Mr Dunlop was among 100 law students to receive degrees from Dublin’s Griffith College — where President Mary McAleese received a distinguished fellowship award.
Gowned-up to receive his LLB (Hons) in Irish law, he said: “I’m sorry I didn’t do it years ago. I’m now going to do a masters in law in Trinity College.”
Asked why he chose to study law at this stage of his life, Mr Dunlop replied: “The spur was premature retirement and because of other extraneous matters. I don’t know what I’ll do after the masters in Trinity. I might do something else.”
Mr Dunlop’s graduation celebrations have been put on temporary hold as he is due to return to Dublin Castle tomorrow to continue to give evidence.
He said he was going back to hospital last evening for a medical procedure, but did not give details. At the end of June he was hospitalised and had a heart procedure carried out.
When he returned to the witness box last month, it was agreed he would give evidence for a portion of the day.
The 60-year-old is expected to be questioned for another month in relation to his claims that he bribed several county councillors to rezone Quarryvale in west Dublin which ultimately became the Liffey Valley shopping centre.
Mr Dunlop’s wife, Sheila and daughter Sinead attended yesterday’s graduation ceremony. College president Diarmuid Hegarty said the college favoured the Norwegian funding system in place of student fees.
Norwegian students at the college get a 75% loan and 25% grant converted to 60% loan and 40% grant when exams are passed on first attempt.
Mr Hegarty told the gathering: “In addition, we would have those of you who qualify, entitled to maintenance, disability and research grants, from all of which you are precluded because of Griffith’s private status.
The college — which has students from 62 countries — recently opened an office in Beijing, China. “I would urge any of you who expect to function successfully in the commercial world in the 21st century to visit China and indeed to learn Chinese,” said Mr Hegarty, who spoke in Chinese to welcome Chinese families and friends who had travelled for the graduation ceremony.
More than 1,100 students graduated over the past two days from five different faculties — law, design, business, computing, journalism and media.
RTÉ broadcaster and historian John Bowman was conferred with a professional excellence award for his work in journalism.
