Dunlop's diary was examined by FBI

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was called in to examine the diaries of lobbyist Frank Dunlop, the Mahon tribunal was told yesterday.

Mr Dunlop provided his diaries to the tribunal after an order of discovery in 2001, but some entries had been obliterated when the tribunal received them.

Mr Dunlop had scribbled out or in some cases put correction fluid over a number of entries before handing them over, the tribunal was told. The "redacted" extracts were first sent for forensic analysis to a laboratory in England, but when some items remained illegible, they were forwarded to the FBI.

The revealed entries included "T to QV" on December 10th, 1998, which counsel for the tribunal said was a reference to Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at Quarryvale.

Counsel for the tribunal Patricia Dillon SC asked Mr Dunlop if he had arranged for Mr Ahern to visit Quarryvale at that stage, shortly after the tribunal was established and the centre had opened. Mr Dunlop replied that he did not recollect making any such arrangement.

A second revealed entry, for the early 1990s, said "Leopardstown, Bertie" and was explained as a meeting with Mr Ahern at the Leopardstown races.

Ms Dillon asked Mr Dunlop why he had obliterated that entry before giving his diaries to the tribunal.

Mr Dunlop replied that the Leopardstown races had nothing to do with the tribunal.

Some 15 separate references to a person code-named "Demetrius" were also revealed by the FBI analysis. Mr Dunlop said the individual had named himself Demetrius and was a Fine Gael activist with no connection to the tribunal investigations. He was directed to identify the man in writing.

Other obliterated entries included some that detailed financial agreements between Mr Dunlop and Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan, dated up to July 1999.

Other entries showed arrangements regarding Citywest and a deal with one unnamed client, also in 1999, which was to earn Mr Dunlop £3 million.

Ms Dillon said Mr Dunlop had gone through his diaries and redacted out financial arrangements with three clients, Mr O'Callaghan, Citywest and a man with whom he had "a very significant financial relationship".

Ms Dillon said that in most cases, the FBI was able to reveal what was written beneath the obliteration. However, when counsel for Mr Dunlop, Aidan Redmond BL, was shown one revealed entry, he said: "I thought for a moment I might have a Jackson Pollock painting".

The tribunal was told that between September 1989 and September 1993, there were 28 unexplained transactions in Mr Dunlop's accounts, totalling £535,501.

Ms Dillon asked if Mr Dunlop could say how much of that money he had given in corrupt payments.

"Certainly not now, not here," Mr Dunlop responded.

Mr Dunlop's examination at the tribunal concluded yesterday after over 100 days on the stand. His cross-examination is due to begin next week with questioning from representatives of former councillors Don Lydon, GV Wright and the late Tom Hand.