Lobbyist sent £243k to Revenue
And he described witness Tom Gilmartin — who had just then sworn an affidavit to the tribunal linking Mr Dunlop to the controversial Quarryvale project — as “a delusional buffoon”.
Mr Dunlop made out his £243,478 cheque to the Revenue on October 6, 1998, but he agreed with tribunal lawyer Patricia Dillon SC he had not made a full disclosure of his financial affairs to the taxman.
Mr Dunlop had not disclosed an offshore bank account he held in Jersey, or another bank account in south Dublin out of which he alleges he gave bribes to councillors in return for their support for the west Dublin Quarryvale project.
In early October 1998 Mr Dunlop’s name had just come into the public arena amid controversy linking him to the west Dublin project headed by Cork-based developer Owen O’Callaghan.
Within days Mr Dunlop contacted the Revenue — and days before the tribunal got in touch with him. Yesterday he admitted he was concerned payments he received from Mr O’Callaghan would become public knowledge.
Within days of sending an invoice to the developer he received a £300,000 cheque from Mr O’Callaghan. Mr Gilmartin alleges the Cork businessman was trying to shut him (Dunlop) up and stop him talking to the media.
Mr Dunlop says this money, paid to his Shefran company, was for work he had carried out on Mr O’Callaghan’s behalf. But in a statement to the tribunal last July, Mr O’Callaghan says this was a “success fee”.
“I am aware that this was paid over to the Revenue Commissioners as Frank Dunlop was having difficulties in that regard at the time,” said Mr O’Callaghan. The lobbyist agreed yesterday there was no written agreement with Mr O’Callaghan about a success fee.
Mr Dunlop decided to co-operate with the tribunal in April 2000, 18 months after the tribunal first made contact with him, and admitted his alleged involvement in bribing councillors to support the rezoning of land in the Dublin area.
When Ms Dillon attempted to get Mr Dunlop to give details connected with his tax affairs, he said he was not prepared to give details of his relationship with the Revenue, adding that “there are ongoing discussions with the Revenue Commissioners about all matters that pertain to this tribunal”.
On the success of the Quarryvale project Mr Dunlop expected Mr O’Callaghan would make him a £1 million payment, some of which Mr Dunlop would disperse. He had not sought all this sum for himself.
Questioned about this yesterday, Mr Dunlop said Mr O’Callaghan had reported that architect Ambrose Kelly had requested a £1m “success fee”. Witness said he raised this with Mr O’Callaghan, but the response to him was “virulently negative”.
“I assumed that if any payment was to be made it would be to me,” said Mr Dunlop. He agreed there was no information in a document he issued to his banker that he would have to share the £1m with Mr Kelly and the deceased Dáil deputy, Liam Lawlor (a consultant on the project).
Earlier, Mr Dunlop traded sharp words with tribunal chairman Judge Alan Mahon after he said witness Tom Gilmartin had been consistently acting as a “buffoon”. When he was warned he was not entitled to use those words, Mr Dunlop said comments about himself “by the same buffoon” had gone uncorrected.
After Judge Mahon said if there was a problem about his treatment Mr Dunlop’s lawyers could raise them, Mr Dunlop said he regarded “that man [Gilmartin] as a delusional buffoon”.
Sligo-born Mr Gilmartin alleges being told by Mr O’Callaghan — a former partner in the west Dublin project — he bribed Taoiseach Bertie Ahern for political favours connected to the development.
The allegation is denied by Mr O’Callaghan and Mr Ahern, who are due to be called to testify at a later date on this matter.
Later Mr Dunlop said he would be taking up the treatment of witnesses, “in another forum”, notwithstanding what emerged in the tribunal’s report.
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