Gardai in Co Donegal are investigating allegations that two members of Bundoran Urban District Council offered money to a family in the town to withdraw an objection to a large development.
One of the councillors admits he offered a financial inducement to the McCafferty family, but says he did so in his professional capacity as an auctioneer. The other councillor denies offering money.
The proposal is for a large four-storey development comprising 44 apartments, retail/office units and car parking spaces at Atlantic Way. The developers are P. Leahy and B. Sherlock of MH Associates.
One of the councillors, Mr Joe O'Neill of Republican Sinn Fein, has admitted publicly, in an interview with North West Radio, that he did offer the McCafferty family money.
When asked by The Irish Times this week to comment, Mr O'Neill said he did not wish to do so. But in an interview with North West Radio on April 19th he said: "I was asked as an auctioneer by the owners to go and see if I could make any sort of a settlement with the McCafferty family. I said to them, `could this thing be settled up? - the people are prepared to pay'. "
The other councillor has admitted approaching the family over their objection to the development, but strongly denied offering them any money.
He told The Irish Times that he had done "absolutely nothing wrong" and said he was rejecting the allegations totally.
"I am denying I ever offered them money. I had a 30-second conversation with Patrick McCafferty and that was the end of my involvement with that man."
A complaint was originally made to the Urban District Council about the behaviour of two councillors by Mr Patrick McCafferty in November of last year. However Mr McCafferty, who has since died, did not name them in his letter.
His family named the two councillors for the first time this week in a letter to the UDC complaining that the council did not adequately investigate the matter or take action against the members involved.
The daughter of the late Mr McCafferty, Ms Patricia McCafferty, told The Irish Times yesterday that the family had found the behaviour of the councillors intimidating.
The family have drawn up a list of visits by the two councillors to their home over two weeks in June last year. This list details three visits by Mr O'Neill and one by the other councillor. Ms McCafferty said her late father had written in his diary of these visits.
The family alleges that both councillors offered them money and Ms McCafferty said that on one occasion Mr O'Neill had a blank cheque.
The visits took place in June after planning permission had been granted by the local authority and the family had lodged an objection to An Bord Pleanala, which subsequently ruled that the development could go ahead.
When Mr McCafferty's letter was brought before a meeting of the UDC last November, the family was asked to supply more information and the matter was also referred to the Garda.
However an independent member of Bundoran UDC, Mr Dessie Mulhern, who again raised the issue at the council's April meeting, said yesterday that he does not believe the matter was properly investigated.
The letter sent this week to the UDC by Mrs Maura McCafferty and her son and daughter, which names the two councillors, has also been referred to the Garda. A senior garda called to the family on Tuesday night and said he would be taking detailed statements from them.