O’Callaghan gave Dunlop £70k in one transfer, hears tribunal
On the same day the money arrived in his Rathfarnham bank account, Mr Dunlop withdrew £55,000 in cash out of which he paid politicians.
The inquiry heard the money was transferred on November 10, 1992, following a phone call from the developer to his Riga company secretary, Aidan Lucey.
A £70,000 cheque was sent off to Mr Dunlop from Riga on November 9, but the tribunal was told, the cheque was subsequently stopped and the money transferred the following day by way of a “same-day value” transfer.
All he knew was that he got a phone call from Mr O’Callaghan to “put it through fast”, said Mr Lucey who was resuming his evidence.
He was unaware that on the day the money arrived in Mr Dunlop’s account, the lobbyist withdrew £55,000 — and Mr Dunlop has told the tribunal he could not explain why he felt it necessary for the payment to be made on that day.
Tribunal lawyer Patricia Dillon SC observed that Mr Dunlop appeared to be telling the tribunal he told Mr O’Callaghan he needed the money immediately.
The tribunal has already heard that on November 11, 1992 — the day after he withdrew the £55,000 — Mr Dunlop visited former Dáil deputy GV Wright in his Dublin North constituency office, accompanied by Mr O’Callaghan.
On that occasion Mr O’Callaghan gave Mr Wright a £5,000 cheque and Mr Dunlop, separately, gave him a similar amount in cash.
Mr Wright has insisted these were unsolicited political donations for his election and constituency expenses.
Asked by Ms Dillon if he was aware of an agreement [by Mr O’Callaghan] to pay £100,000 to FF in 1994, Aidan Lucey said he was not aware of any [such] agreement. He added that Mr O’Callaghan never discussed political contributions or political payments with him.
The tribunal noted that Mr O’Callaghan wrote a cheque for £80,000, dated June 21, 1994 for Fianna Fáil.
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