Dublin Corporation sold land at 'bargain-basement prices'

Dublin Corporation sold off its land at "bargain-basement prices" in the early 1990s and "invited the kind of rivalry" that resulted in the planning tribunal, the former Labour leader, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, told the Mahon tribunal yesterday.

Dublin County Council and Dublin Corporation became Dublin City Council, South Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council in 1993, the tribunal heard. Legislation drafted to allow the change meant that land in each new area owned by the corporation or county council had to be handed over to the relevant authority.

However, if lands in those areas were sold prior to 1993, the money the sales raised could be kept within Dublin City Council.

Dublin Corporation sold an interest in land at Neilstown, west Dublin for a shopping centre development to Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan in 1988, and the following year sold land to Luton-based developer Tom Gilmartin, also for a shopping centre, in nearby Quarryvale.

Mr Rabbitte, who was a councillor at the time, said there was a clearout of land prior to the reorganisation of the councils and "a good deal of land at bargain basement prices".

"If the corporation hadn't done that, we wouldn't have been in this position. They invited the kind of rivalry that is the subject matter being inquired into."

Pat Quinn SC, for the tribunal, asked Mr Rabbitte about meetings with lobbyist Frank Dunlop in Mr Dunlop's diary in 1991 and 1992.

Mr Dunlop was employed by Mr O'Callaghan to promote the Quarryvale development after he became Mr Gilmartin's partner in early 1991.

"I'm a bit sceptical about the possible fragilities in Mr Dunlop's diaries," he said. But, he added, he would have met Mr Dunlop in the environs of Dublin County Council.

Asked about notes made by Mr Dunlop that appeared to indicate Mr Rabbitte might be supportive of the project, he said he was consistently against Quarryvale. "I can't account for his doodlings."

He said a donation of £2,000 given to him by Mr Dunlop before the November 1992 general election was returned. It was "pure coincidence" he returned it on the same day as a crucial vote on Quarryvale that December.

The tribunal heard that Mr Dunlop said he had given a £3,000 donation to Mr Rabbitte.