Dunlop: Nobody expected tribunal results

LOBBYIST Frank Dunlop expressed the view yesterday that politicians set up the Mahon Tribunal in the belief it would merely be a public relations exercise and would not uncover planning corruption.

Mr Dunlop, who claims to have played a central role in the corrupt practice, agreed he had been motivated in ensuring the tribunal would not be successful. He agreed he had misled the tribunal until April/May 2000 when he decided to co-operate.

He agreed he had helped spread the view among journalists and politicians that the public inquiry, set up more than 10 years ago by the Oireachtas, was going nowhere and was “a joke”.