Councillors' votes were not bought, Lydon claims

Dublin County councillors habitually accepted money from lobbyists and developers hoping to secure planning favours and then voted against their projects, the Flood tribunal was told this afternoon.

Under cross-examination from Mr Colm Allen SC, for Mr Frank Dunlop, Senator Don Lydon insisted he saw "no evidence" of any corruption within the planning process in Dublin in the 1980s and 1990s.

The veteran Fianna Faíl politician said he was aware of rumours of councillors taking money from lobbyists and developers who were "hoping" to secure favours, but this did not amount to corruption in his view.

"I don't doubt that people got paid, but I doubt that they did what they were paid for," Mr Lydon said.He added that although he knew people with vested interests in planning and rezoning matters were always present at council meetings, he saw no "evidence of the actual connection" between them and politicians.

Among those present was Mr Dunlop, whom he conceded was probably paying people in the hope of securing their support for motions.

"I have no evidence of him bribing anybody. They may have got money at election time and he may have believed they would vote a certain way," he said. This was a "stupid" belief on the part of Mr Dunlop.

If, Mr Allen asked, the senator was not aware of anything improper within the planning process, then why did he support legislation to begin the Flood tribunal's inquiry into corruption?

"I don't believe that votes were bought," Mr Lydon answered. "But I do believe that people got money."

Mr Allen accused the witness of failing to co-operate fully with the tribunal, citing one of his answers in evidence given on Tuesday. When asked why he did not respond to a letter from the tribunal about certain payments, Mr Lydon said he "didn't bother" because he was "up to his ears" in work.

He was using his long work hours as a senator, a county councillor, and head of psychology at St John of God's hospital in Stillorgan as an excuse for "whinging", Mr Allen said.

In response, Mr Lydon said he intended to resign from the latter two positions later this summer and concentrate solely on being a senator.

His counsel, Mr Seamus Ó Tuathail, later pointed out that he was retiring from his psychology position because of his age and from Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown county council in compliance with legislation ending the dual mandate.