Ex-minister of state says developer offered bribe

Former Fianna Fáil junior minister Chris Flood has told the tribunal he was offered a bribe in return for his support for a development.

Mr Flood recalled being invited to meet two people who were promoting a development. During the presentation by one of these men, it was suggested that if they could get the development through, there could be something in it for him.

"I felt some kind of offer was being made that would be to my benefit," he said. However, it was just one line in the presentation and no figure was mentioned. Mr Flood did not give further details, but said he had drawn the tribunal's attention in private interview to this incident, which he felt could be construed as an inducement.

Mr Flood denied a whip operated within the Fianna Fáil group on Dublin County Council, but said the party leader on the council, Pat Dunne, was very active in rounding up members for votes. Mr Dunne did not confine his attention to Fianna Fáil members, he said, and could read the signs from people in other parties who might be amenable to vote through motions.

Describing the planning process on the council as chaotic and unseemly, Mr Flood said landowners and developers would accost councillors on their way in and out of the chamber. He said Monarch Developments gave him donations of £100 for a race night in 1989 and £500 by unsolicited cheque in 1992. Mr Flood left the council to become a junior minister in February 1991.

The tribunal is investigating the rezoning of almost 240 acres of land owned by Monarch at Cherrywood in the Carrickmines Valley. The company made payments totalling more than £500,000, almost half of it to 69 different politicians, in connection with the rezoning.

Former Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Gilbride told the tribunal he did not feel uncomfortable about accepting a £300 contribution from Monarch Properties when the council was considering zoning changes that could benefit the company's land. Mr Gilbride got the money by cheque in June 1991, at the time of the local elections.

He said the payment was given to cover election expenses and was not going to affect his vote one way or another. "I had no concerns. Why should I?" It was only afterwards that he discovered that nearly everyone on the council had received a donation from Monarch.

Judge Gerald Keys said it was not healthy for democracy that large sums of money were being paid to politicians by developers at a time when votes could make these people very rich. Public representatives were required to have certain standards and it was sending out the wrong message when developers could give contributions under the "disguise" of public relations when in fact they were trying to keep councillors "sweet".

Mr Gilbride said the payment was not solicited. Political parties received money from all kinds of people and he could not account for the views of the public.