DEVELOPER ÉAMON Duignan has contradicted evidence given by former Fianna Fáil fundraiser Des Richardson in connection with the Cloghran module, now being investigated by the Mahon tribunal.
The inquiry also heard that businessman John Butler has withdrawn an allegation that two "pick-me-ups" made for Fianna Fáil by companies in which he was involved had been paid at the instigation of lobbyist Frank Dunlop.
The Cloghran module, which has restarted after a break of 19 months, is investigating the rezoning of 16 acres of land near Dublin airport.
Mr Dunlop had told the tribunal that he paid four councillors £5,000 to rezone the land at Cloghran from agricultural to industrial in 1993.
The councillors involved, the late Cyril Gallagher, GV Wright, Tony Fox and Seán Gilbride, have all denied the allegation.
The land was owned by a consortium including Mr Butler, Niall Kenny and Thomas Williams. It was bought for £215,000 in 1989 and sold in 1996 for £1.6 million.
Mr Dunlop had said businessman Tim Collins introduced Mr Butler to him. Both men were aware some councillors would need to be paid for their support if the rezoning was to succeed, he said. However, he said Mr Kenny and Mr Williams were not involved.
Mr Butler told the tribunal he did not pay anything to Mr Dunlop for councillors and denied that the conversation had taken place.
However, he said members of the consortium paid two bills from Saatchi and Saatchi on behalf of Fianna Fail totalling £9,929; the system was known as a "pick-me- up".
He initially said this was done after a request from Mr Dunlop. However, the tribunal heard yesterday, Mr Butler has since retracted that evidence and said the payments had nothing to do with Cloghran or Mr Dunlop.
Mr Richardson was also questioned about pick-me-ups and mentioned accounts he used for Fianna Fáil fundraising, including one in the name of Berraway Ltd.
He had told the tribunal that Mr Dunlop was invited to become a shareholder in Berraway by his then partner, Mr Duignan. Mr Richardson had also said he only knew of one account for Berraway, at Bank of Ireland in Montrose, Dublin.
However, Mr Duignan said the company also had a bank account at AIB Balbriggan, Co Dublin, and that Mr Richardson was a signatory to it. He acknowledged that Mr Richardson was never registered as a director of Berraway.
"He was always shadow-director and always involved in all the decisions," Mr Duignan said.
He also said it was Mr Richardson who told him Mr Dunlop wanted to become involved in the company.
Although he had resigned from Berraway in 1995, he discovered in 2001 he was still listed as a director.
