Cosgrave denies rezoning U-turn

Former Fine Gael TD Liam Cosgrave has denied changing his vote on the rezoning of Monarch Properties land at Cherrywood in return for a political donation.

Mr Cosgrave also denied that his decision to support the rezoning in 1993 represented a U-turn. Previously, he had opposed higher density housing on the land.

While he could not recollect his reasons for supporting the 1993 motion, his decision would have been made on planning grounds and representations received from different groups.

It had nothing to do with political donations. He said he could not recollect whether he had re- ceived any donations from Monarch or other developers at this time. "I don't know, but it could have been one or three or five, or four or six."

Earlier, Seán Dunne, a director of Berland Homes, confirmed that the company made a £1,000 donation to Fianna Fáil councillor Betty Coffey in 1991. He said the request came through a brother-in-law of Ms Coffey who was an investor in Berland.

Mr Dunlop has told the tribunal he passed the cheque on to Ms Coffey but Mr Dunne said he believed it would have been given directly.

William Harvey, a Fianna Fáil councillor between 1974 and 1991, denied he received a £600 contribution from Monarch, as listed on the company's books.

Mr Harvey said he had not taken any donations from anyone as he always funded his own political campaigns.

He said there were all sorts of rumours going around about developers paying money to councillors. He believed some of them, but they did not concern him and so he minded his own business. He could not say now where he heard the rumours.

In the late 1980s, the lobby of Dublin County Council was like the London stock exchange, he said, you had to beat your way through the crowd of developers and land agents to get into a meeting.