Former FF councillor charged with corruption dies

A FORMER Fianna Fáil councillor charged with corruption in relation to land rezoning has died.

Mon, 03 Jan, 2011 - 00:00

Paul O’Brien, Political Correspondent

Sean Gilbride, from Greenlawns, Skerries in Dublin, died on Saturday at the age of 69. It’s understood he had been suffering from cancer. He will be buried tomorrow.

Mr Gilbride, a teacher by profession, was one of four former Fianna Fáil councillors who, along with businessman Jim Kennedy, were arrested and charged last October on charges of planning corruption.

The charges related to the rezoning of lands in Carrickmines, Co Dublin, during the 1990s.

The five appeared before Dublin District Court on October 23 as a result of an investigation by the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Mr Kennedy, a tax exile and owner of an amusement arcade in Dublin, was charged with 16 counts of paying bribes to politicians in return for their support to rezone lands owned by his company, Jackson Way Properties, at Carrickmines.

Mr Gilbride was charged with accepting one of those payments in return for his vote in favour of the rezoning. He pleaded not guilty, and was granted bail.

Last month, he was unable to attend a further court hearing because of his ill health, but was remanded on continuing bail in his absence. He had been due to stand trial later this year.

Mr Gilbride was alleged to have received the bribe in the offices of former Government press secretary and political lobbyist Frank Dunlop on June 11, 1992.

Mr Dunlop has already served a prison sentence after pleading guilty to bribing Mr Gilbride and associated offences.

Mr Dunlop also testified to the Planning Tribunal about his interactions with Mr Gilbride. He testified that Mr Gilbride invariably told him “it will cost you” when the lobbyist sought his support on planning matters.

Mr Gilbride represented the Balbriggan electoral area from 1985 to 1999. He ran for Fianna Fáil in general elections in the Dublin North constituency in 1987 and 1989, but failed to win a seat on both occasions. He also failed to win a seat in the Seanad in 1997.