Members of Dublin County Council who supported a failed rezoning motion in 1992 retired to a pub around the corner after the meeting to "console each other," the tribunal heard.
With them in Conways pub was Mr Frank Dunlop, who said he was disappointed the motion to rezone the Paisley Park lands in Carrickmines had been lost by "such a slim margin". It was defeated by two votes.
Mr Dunlop was giving evidence of payments he made to councillors for their support for the motion. He said Senator Liam Cosgrave requested £2,000 for his support. He believed he handed over the money to him in the weeks following the meeting, in June 1992.
Mr Cosgrave asked him for more money in November of that year after a general election was called, he said. Mr Dunlop agreed to give him £5,000. "The discussion did not relate solely to the election. He undertook to continue to support another development which we discussed and named and asked me to tell the promoter of that particular development that he was supportive and would be onside," he said.
Mr Dunlop was asked to write the name of this developer on a piece of paper and hand it in to the tribunal.
Mr Cosgrave has denied ever receiving improper payments.
According to Mr Dunlop, he handed £5,000 in cash to Mr Cosgrave outside a church in Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, on November 11th, 1992. The money was in a large envelope. The senator told him he was about to attend a funeral and would put the money in his car.
Counsel for the tribunal, Mr John Gallagher SC, said inquiries carried out by the tribunal established no funeral took place at that church on that date. Mr Dunlop said Mr Cosgrave told him he was attending a funeral after they met. It may have been at a different church.
In relation to the £2,000 he paid Mr Cosgrave, he said he had a number of discussions with the senator prior to his vote on the Carrickmines rezoning motion. He would meet him in the environs of the offices of Dublin County Council, his (Mr Dunlop's) office, at "a variety of restaurants and hotels" and on one occasion he met him in the Dáil bar.
Counsel asked how the senator raised the question of money. Mr Dunlop said he could not recall the precise words used. "I have already said one councillor said 'it will cost you'. Senator Cosgrave never used that sort of language." He added that the senator subsequently acknowledged receiving the £2,000 when he came asking for more that November. However, he could not recall where he handed over the £2,000.
Counsel asked how he could be so precise about the amount paid if he couldn't remember where it was paid. "Because, Mr Gallagher, there was so much money being dispersed at the time to so many people," Mr Dunlop replied.
Referring to his meeting with Senator Cosgrave in the Dáil bar, he said he did not believe money was mentioned on that occasion. However, he said they left the confines of the Dáil quickly and went across the road to Buswells where they had a 15-minute meeting.
Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, for the senator, asked when he would be furnished with details of the name of the developer written on a piece of paper by Mr Dunlop. After heated exchanges, the tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Flood, told him he would get it "in due course". Mr Justice Flood later apologised for "being a little short" with him.