Mahon Tribunal awards 10 full costs

The Mahon Tribunal has awarded full costs to 10 parties who gave evidence during early modules of the inquiry into alleged planning corruption in Dublin.

The parties in question include James Gogarty, a former employee of the JMSE construction firm who gave widespread evidence about bribery and other irregularities.

Mr Gogarty had been seeking €3.5m in costs.

Elsewhere, Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern was awarded costs in relation to his evidence in May 1999 about efforts he made to establish to truth of Mr Gogarty's claims. Mr Ahern had been seeking €269,000.

Others awarded costs today include financier Dermot Desmond, RTE and the Independent Radio and Television Commission.

Awarding full costs to all parties today, tribunal chairman Alan Mahon said the authority for deciding on the level of pay-outs to be made rested with the taxing master of the High Court.