Mitchell fails to explain car park documents

FINE GAEL frontbench TD Olivia Mitchell could not explain to the Mahon Tribunal yesterday how documents relating to allegations of bribery against fellow party councillor Tom Hand ended up in the Leinster House car park.

The documents, which recorded observations she and another FG councillor Therese Ridge had made on the allegations under the tribunal’s spotlight, were discovered in April 2000 by a Fianna Fáil chauffeur.

The discovery was made four days after a newspaper article said the tribunal was probing allegations that Mr Hand had demanded £250,000 for his support for the Quarryvale project in west Dublin on which the Liffey Valley shopping centre now stands.

Mr Hand died in early 1996 — the year before the planning tribunal was set up and began its marathon inquiry into improper payments to councillors. In May 2000, lobbyist Frank Dunlop turned chief whistleblower, claiming he bribed some politicians to rezone various tracts of land.

Ms Mitchell said she was “absolutely stunned” on being told by the lobbyist that Mr Hand had made the demands and that he had supplied the number of a bank account in Australia into which Mr Dunlop was to deposit the money.

When the lobbyist brought the bribery allegation to her notice, Ms Mitchell, who is the party spokesperson on arts and sport, said she had told Mr Dunlop, “he must never pay him [Hand] money.”

Asked about political donations she received from Mr Dunlop in connection with the general election campaigns of 1992 and 1997, Ms Mitchell admitted she was given the money in cash.

She did not think she got more than £200 in 1992, commenting that £500 — as indicated by Mr Dunlop — was a large sum at the time.

Last October former FG leader John Bruton expressed regret to the tribunal he did not act on the allegation brought to his attention by Mr Dunlop during a FG fundraising event at the Red Cow Inn in May 1993.

“I was very taken aback and very disinclined to believe Mr Dunlop’s allegations,” Mr Bruton told the tribunal.

Previously, the former taoiseach, now EU ambassador to Washington, had denied the conversation ever took place and described his discussion with Mr Dunlop as being “inconsequential”.