Former FÁS director denies sending councillor on junket

FORMER State training boss Dr John Lynch denied at the Mahon Tribunal yesterday he had sent a Dublin county councillor out of the country “on a junket”, that kept him from voting against the controversial Quarryvale shopping development in west Dublin.

It had been alleged by lobbyist Frank Dunlop, during private discussions with the tribunal in April 2000, that Guss O’Connell had been sent on a junket to coincide with the crucial planning vote in December 1992.

Dr Lynch was FÁS director general when he said he told Mr O’Connell — then a youth training manager with FÁS — to be part of a delegation going to London to find out how the British training and employment services operated. Elected as an independent councillor for the Lucan area in June 1991, Mr O’Connell said he was strongly opposed to the Quarryvale project, being promoted by property developer Owen O’Callaghan.

He told the tribunal he was out of the country representing his employers when the vote was taken to confirm the Quarryvale zoning.

He described how Dr Lynch and he discussed the impending visit to London and that it would clash with the Dublin County Council vote being taken on December 19, 1992.

Mr O’Connell said he operated on the principle “that my first loyalty was to my employer”.

Councillors voted 39-28 in favour of the Quarryvale zoning with two abstentions and Mr O’Connell observed that his own vote would not have changed the result.

Giving evidence, Dr Lynch described Mr O’Callaghan as being among “a large circle” of his acquaintances arising from 40 years in public life.

Asked about his relationship with Mr Dunlop, Dr Lynch said the lobbyist was then acting for FÁS in a public relations capacity.

Tribunal lawyer Patricia Dillon SC put it to him that Mr O’Connell was strongly opposed to Quarryvale and that this was known to both Mr O’Callaghan and Mr Dunlop.

Dr Lynch said: “Well, it was certainly not known to me.”

Owen O’Callaghan has said he himself had no involvement in sending Guss O’Connell on the FÁS trip.