Former TDs deny soliciting donations

Former Fianna Fáil TDs Mr Pádraig Flynn and Mr Liam Lawlor have dismissed a claim at the planning tribunal that they solicited political donations in return for lobbying on a planning matter.

Mr Jude Campion, a former employee of businessman Mr Jim Kennedy, has told the tribunal in a statement that he gave a total of £5,500 in cash to the two TDs and to former Tánaiste, the late Mr Brian Lenihan.

Mr Campion did not identify the politicians when he detailed the payments in his evidence to the tribunal last week.

Mr Campion said the politicians asked for the donations after he complained to them about the former assistant Dublin city and county manager, Mr George Redmond.

At the time, Mr Campion and his deceased father John were seeking to buy a site from the council.

He said in his statement that he met Mr Lenihan six times, and gave him £2,500 for party funds.

Yesterday, Mr Lenihan's son, Mr Conor Lenihan, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said he knew nothing about the matter. "I'm as much in the dark about it as anyone else. I haven't been contacted by the tribunal about this, nor do I expect to be."

Mr Flynn rejected Mr Campion's claim that he gave the politician £1,000 in an envelope as a contribution to Fianna Fáil funds, or that he offered to find out why Mr Redmond was putting blocks in front of the Campions' plans to acquire the site in Coolmine.

"Never met the man. Don't know who he is, or his father. Don't understand why this is being said about me at this time," the former minister commented.

Mr Campion alleged that Mr Lawlor initially sought £10,000 for the party for his help, but later settled for £2,000.

However, Mr Lawlor said yesterday he had never met Mr Campion.

He said that Mr Campion's father John had lobbied him but he never sought nor received money from him.

Mr Jude Campion has told the tribunal that Mr Lawlor and Mr Redmond regularly came to meet Mr Kennedy at his arcade on Westmoreland Street in Dublin.

However, Mr Lawlor said he only went to the arcade "a couple of times".

Mr Lawlor has again accused the tribunal of using information "selectively" and has claimed that contradictions in Mr Campion's evidence would be highlighted during next week's evidence.