Mahon: 'Dogs in the street' knew of planning corruption

A brother-in-law of independent MEP Rosemary ‘Dana’ Scallon has told the Mahon Tribunal that "the dogs in the street" knew of rumours of planning corruption in Dublin in the late 1980s and early '90s.

Asked by the tribunal judges if, as a property consultant, he was aware of rumours of planning corruption in Dublin in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Colm Scallon said: "Of course I was."

Mr Scallon said: "Sure the dogs in the street were barking those rumours."

The tribunal judges also asked if he was surprised by Mr Gilmartin’s allegations.

Mr Scallon said he wasn’t and even knew of another developer who faced similar difficulties.

He said this developer was planning to invest large sums of money in Ireland as far back as 1973, but left the country after three years saying he couldn’t get anything done here.