Four senior FF men give evidence about Monarch payments

Four senior members of Fianna Fáil have appeared at the Planning Tribunal today to give evidence about payments they received from Monarch Properties.

Of the four, Dublin North Central TD Sean Haughey received the most money in political donations from the company.

Mr Haughey received payments totalling £2,300, but initially failed to disclose this when contacted by the tribunal.

Dublin South Central TD Sean Ardagh, meanwhile, confirmed that he received £1,500 for election expenses from Monarch, but said he could not recall getting a further £700 which the tribunal says he received.

Elsewhere, former government minister David Andrews received £1,276 from the company, while Junior Minister Frank Fahey received £250 that he failed to reveal to the tribunal.

The inquiry is investigating payments to 68 politicians from Monarch while it was trying to secure a massive rezoning in the Cherrywood area in the early 1990s.

All the politicians deny any wrongdoing and insist the payments were legitimate political donations.