Planning Tribunal hears of two concealed accounts

The Planning Tribunal is due to decide today whether former Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor is co-operating fully with its investigation into alleged planning corruption in Dublin.

Mr Lawlor has already served three separate prison sentences totalling six weeks in duration for failing to deliver files and documents requested by the tribunal.

Last July, he handed over thousands more documents after the tribunal said it would not accept his excuse that he could not get access to files relating to overseas investments.

The tribunal heard this morning of two concealed client accounts that Mr Lawlor held with a firm of British solicitors.

The tribunal said it had received no documentation from the former Fianna Fáil TD about the accounts he held with Seddon Solicitors in London.

Tribunal lawyers also accused Mr Lawlor of forgery this morning, saying he had obtained headed paper from Seddon Solicitors and used it to draw up a false invoice for £117,000 (Irish pounds) for his own benefit.

If the tribunal decides today that Mr Lawlor is still withholding information, then it could send the disgraced TD to the High Court to face fresh contempt proceedings.

Mr Lawlor later claimed that he made no profits whatsoever from his investments in the Czech Republic.

He also denied that a company he set in the eastern European country was established soley to help him avoid paying tax. The tribunal has claimed that invoices for consultancy work were created to hide money generated by Lawlor's investments in the Czech Republic.