Cosgrave denies getting #1,000 to back rezoning

Former Fine Gael TD Liam Cosgrave has denied an allegation by lobbyist Frank Dunlop that he was paid a £1,000 bribe for supporting the rezoning of land at Ballycullen in south Dublin.

Mr Cosgrave, who was convicted last month of failing to declare a political donation from Mr Dunlop, replied "not true" when the allegation was put to him yesterday.

He said Mr Dunlop had given conflicting versions about the various payments he claimed to have made. He had also failed to mention the alleged payment for Ballycullen to gardaí investigating Mr Cosgrave in 2003.

Mr Cosgrave said he had fully considered all aspects of the issue before voting for the rezoning in October 1992. Having lived in the area for almost 30 years, he had cycled and hunted there often and he knew the lands like the back of his hand.

Fianna Fáil's Seán Gilbride said he completely denied Mr Dunlop's allegation that he paid the politician £1,000 in return for his vote on Ballycullen.

He agreed that he had 24 phone or face-to-face contacts with Mr Dunlop over five days in September 1992 but said these related to Quarryvale. Mr Dunlop had never discussed Ballycullen with him.

Former Democratic Left councillor Don Tipping said he was amazed and astonished to learn that Mr Dunlop had given his party colleague Pat Rabbitte a £2,000 donation in 1992. The average donation at that time was under £100.

Mr Tipping said he doubted Mr Dunlop's motives. Believing "something" was behind the donation, he tied it to the rezoning of Quarryvale, in which the lobbyist was heavily involved.

Constituency officers decided unanimously to return the money but used it first as "cash flow" during the election campaign.

Mr Tipping and other Democratic Left councillors voted for the rezoning in 1992 but opposed its confirmation at a second vote a year later.

In that year, there had been media controversy about rezonings and DL had decided it would be better to vote against, he explained.

However, in 1996 they voted to increase the number of houses on the land because the planners were in favour and some social housing was promised.

Maireád Smith, barrister, for councillor Tony Fox, said newspapers yesterday had incorrectly stated that Mr Fox's daughter, Caroline, had failed to reply to correspondence from the tribunal about lodgments to her account. She said Mr Fox and his family were very concerned about this.

Patricia Dillon SC, for the tribunal, confirmed that Mr Fox had replied to the tribunal, but he had not identified the source of the lodgments to his daughter Caroline's account. This was only clarified when she gave evidence.