Lawlor behind plan to fix motorway line, tribunal told

The former Fianna Fáil TD Mr Liam Lawlor was behind a strategy to fix the line of the South-Eastern Motorway in Dublin so it would facilitate the rezoning of the maximum amount of land, the tribunal has heard.

Mr Frank Dunlop told the tribunal the aim was to move the line of the proposed motorway as far south-west as possible. Since lands to the north of this line would probably be rezoned in time, this would maximise the amount of rezonable land, he said.

A motion discussed at Dublin County Council in June 1992 proposed moving the motorway line in this manner to allow for the creation of a golf course. However, Mr Dunlop said the "whole purpose" of the motion was to rezone the lands owned by Paisley Park at Carrickmines.

Mr Dunlop said the strategy was devised by Mr Lawlor and approved by the businessman Mr James Kennedy, who controlled Paisley Park. "Anyone with a brain in their head" would know the line of the motorway would determine the amount of land that would later be rezoned, he said.

Mr Dunlop said he had discussed the line of the motorway with Fianna Fáil councillor Mr Tony Fox, who had said the matter was discussed by his party group on the council. Mr Fox proposed the June 1992 motion attempting to fix the line of the motorway, which was unsuccessful.

Mr Dunlop recalled accompanying Mr Lawlor to a meeting about the land with Mr Dermot Drumgoole, an official with Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council, in 1997. Asked what explanation Mr Lawlor gave for his presence, he said Mr Lawlor hadn't given any explanation and wasn't in the habit of doing so.

Mr Drumgoole has told the tribunal he has no recollection of the meeting and doesn't believe it took place. Mr Dunlop said he had no reason to fabricate an account of such a meeting.

Mr Lawlor had told the tribunal he had nothing to do with the Paisley Park lands.