Dunlop given over £30,000 for rezoning bids

Mr Frank Dunlop was paid £36,500 for his part in two attempts to have lands adjacent to the controversial Jackson Way holding in Carrickmines rezoned.

The Flood tribunal today heard details this afternoon of two separate applications - in 1992 and 1997 - by three businessmen to have their joint holding of 22.2 acres of land rezoned. These men were Mr Brian O'Halloran, Mr Gerard Kilcoyne and Prof Austin Darragh. The lands were finally rezoned in 1997.

The lands was bought jointly by the three businessmen in 1978 for £130,000 with the intention of developing them for housing. It was used as a stud-farm in the interim.

Mr O'Halloran, Mr Kilcoyne and Mr Darragh detailed in separate statements the process behind these applications. The tribunal heard they retained the services of property experts, Brian Meehan & Co, and also approached Mr Dunlop to act on their behalf.

Mr Kilcoyne said Mr Dunlop was hired because "he had quite a reputation" as a lobbyist. He had no knowledge of how Mr Dunlop functioned as regards securing support from councillors. "We never asked Mr Dunlop how he operated," he said.

All three men deny ever being approached by any politician seeking money for favours, nor was any offered.

The tribunal heard that the lobbyist was paid £1,500 in 1992 to canvass councillors for their support, with the promise of £8,500 to follow if it was successful. The motion was defeated y two votes in Dublin County Council in 1992, and the £8,500 was not paid.

Five years later, a second motion to have the lands rezoned was passed. Mr Dunlop was paid £5,000 in June 1997 in advance for his part in the bid.

The bid was made after they came to an agreement with Mr Jim Kennedy and Mr John Caldwell, who they understood to be the co-owners of Jackson Way, the company which held the 108 acres of land adjacent to their property, about a joint submission.

Mr O'Halloran said they had been advised by a council official that their bid would be strengthened if it was made by a number of landowners. An application for 47.1 acres to be rezoned were entered in August 1997, but this was reduced to 38.85 acres when they were informed that just under 10 acres of this land would be the subject of a compulsory purchase order because it was needed for the new M50 motorway.

The motion was carried by 13 votes to 11 and Mr Dunlop was paid a further £30,000 "success fee", even though all the land had not been rezoned.

Mr O'Halloran and Mr Darragh handed over cheques of £10,000. However, Mr Kilcoyne, who said his business went into liquidation in 1997 leaving him "financially embarrassed", came to an agreement with Mr Dunlop and paid him in dribs and drabs over the next two years.