MAHON TRIBUNAL:FORMER TAOISEACH John Bruton was notified by councillors of a complaint that a Fine Gael member had sought a £250,000 payment for his support of the Quarryvale development just days before Mr Bruton's counsel said to the planning tribunal that he had no knowledge of the matter, it was claimed yesterday.
Fine Gael councillor Therese Ridge told the tribunal that she and Olivia Mitchell TD had been "hauled in" to Mr Bruton's office after a newspaper article appeared about the allegation against a Dublin County Council member, the late Tom Hand, on April 14th, 2000.
Both women provided statements to Mr Bruton saying that the lobbyist Frank Dunlop had claimed he had been asked for the money in 1993.
At the time, Mr Dunlop was employed by Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan to promote Quarryvale, which later became the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre.
Mr Hand had also provided Mr Dunlop with the number of a bank account in Australia into which he could pay the money, which was subsequently found to exist.
Ms Ridge said she had advised Mr Dunlop to contact the Garda and Mr Bruton.
Counsel for the tribunal Patricia Dillon SC said that on April 19th, after the two women informed Mr Bruton of the allegation, his counsel gave his position to the tribunal in public session.
"Counsel on behalf of Fine Gael said to the tribunal . . . 'Mr Bruton continues to deny very vehemently any suggestion that he was ever informed of an attempt of bribery by a named Fine Gael councillor'," Ms Dillon said.
Ms Ridge agreed that she had the meeting with Mr Bruton about the allegation prior to him instructing his counsel to make that statement to the tribunal.
The tribunal learned of the two councillors' information to Mr Bruton after a copy of Ms Mitchell's handwritten statement was found in the car park of Leinster House by a Fianna Fáil chauffeur on April 18th, 2000, and forwarded to them. Included on the statement were notes made by Ms Ridge about her recollections of talking to Mr Dunlop.
Ms Ridge said Ms Mitchell may have asked her to check that "she had the same" in her own statement.
Tribunal member Judge Gerald Keyes asked Ms Ridge why she did not inform the Garda about the allegation against Mr Hand when they were investigating corruption in Dublin County Council in 1993.
He pointed out that the chairman of the council at the time, former Labour leader Pat Rabbitte, had written to councillors to ask them to co-operate with the investigation. "Did it ever cross your mind that you should have said to the inspector 'I think you may be assisted if you go and speak to Frank Dunlop'?" he asked. Ms Ridge said it did not.
She said she was not a "conduit for scandal", adding: "Why should I be a messenger to make an eejit and a fool of myself, and a liar of myself perhaps?"
Ms Ridge said when Mr Dunlop first mentioned the allegation she thought it was "amazing, unbelievable and even quite hilarious". She was disturbed that she was now being penalised "for having the good sense not to take somebody's character without proof".
Ms Ridge accepted that she received £1,000 from Mr Dunlop in November 1992, but said this was a political donation and not for her support of the Quarryvale development. She denied that she received a further £500 in January 1993.
Fianna Fáil councillor Tony Fox denied that he received £2,000 from Mr Dunlop on June 4th, 1991, in advance of the local elections.
Mr Fox, who has already given evidence to the tribunal, said he could "truthfully say" he never got any money from Mr Dunlop. "It never happened, it's a total fabrication, that's what it is," Mr Fox said.
