Corruption claims dismissed as ‘political rhetoric’

FORMER Fianna Fáil deputy GV Wright told the Mahon Tribunal yesterday he dismissed as “political rhetoric” ex-Environment Minister Michael Smith’s claims about planning corruption in Dublin in the early 1990s.

Mr Wright rejected Mr Smith’s charges in a series of speeches 15 years ago, while he led a protest delegation of FF members on Dublin County Council to the minister’s office.

Commenting yesterday on Mr Smith’s outburst, Mr Wright said: “I believed it had more to do with political rhetoric than substance.”