Lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop was yesterday accused of being a "crook" and a "liar" and of stealing money from developer Mr James Kennedy.
Mr Dunlop denied the accusations and stood by his claim that a former Fine Gael senator and TD, Mr Liam Cosgrave, received £5,000 from him to secure a vote on a planning motion.
The accusations were made yesterday during rigorous cross-examination of Mr Dunlop by Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, for Mr Cosgrave.
Mr Dunlop said that he gave Mr Cosgrave £5,000 on November 11th 1991 for a vote relating to a motion on the Paisley Park development in Carrickmines, Co Dublin. Mr Cosgrave had asked him to tell the developer that he would be supportive and would continue to give his support, Mr Dunlop said.
Mr O'Higgins said: "Mr Cosgrave will deny that emphatically."
Mr O'Higgins said that Mr Dunlop gave evidence in May 2000 and gave a statement to the tribunal in October 2002 relating to the money.
"There's no reference whatsoever in that extract in the statement about the meeting with Mr Cosgrave about his support for a developer," Mr O'Higgins said.
Mr Dunlop replied: "In that, no."
Mr O'Higgins asked about the first time Mr Dunlop met Mr James Kennedy, the developer.
At the meeting, they had discussed the fact that Mr Kennedy owned Paisley Park and wanted to rezone the land and give money to councillors for votes, Mr Dunlop said.
Mr Dunlop said that they had discussed the possibility of whether the land could be rezoned. They had discussed money. Mr Dunlop said that he may have asked for £50,000 and he agreed £25,000.
"To buy votes illicitly," Mr O'Higgins said.
Mr Dunlop replied: "Correct."
Mr O'Higgins said: "Mr Kennedy wanted to buck the system. Just as a drug-dealer recruits a courier, you were the runner. You weren't an obvious candidate. You were a journalist, a government press secretary. You had a good reputation, yet Mr Kennedy had an entirely different view of your reputation, but that view of it was absolutely justified."
Mr Dunlop: "I believe Mr Kennedy was told by another person that I would be a runner, as you call it."
Mr O'Higgins said that Mr Dunlop had described Mr Kennedy as a "crook".
Mr Dunlop said: "In basic terms."
"You, by indulging with him, were a 'crook'," Mr O'Higgins said.
Mr Dunlop replied: "I indulged in practices illegal and corrupt."
Mr O'Higgins put it to Mr Dunlop that councillors had not, in fact, been bribed with the £25,000, but that he [Mr Dunlop\] had spent £25,000 on promoting another development.
Mr Dunlop said that Mr Kennedy did not ask about the money. The money had not been passed directly to councillors. It went into a general fund. Some of them had received money already in relation to another development.
Mr O'Higgins said: "Mr Kennedy underestimated you. He didn't realise he was dealing with a bigger crook than he was."
Mr Dunlop replied: "That's your premise. I had no discussions with him about what to do with the money."
Mr O'Higgins asked: "You just stole it from Mr Kennedy, didn't you?"
Mr Dunlop said: "I received money from Mr Kennedy."