Landowner rejects Brennan's denial of role in rezoning

Mahon tribunal: Landowner Christopher Jones has rejected a claim by Minister for Social and Family Affairs Seamus Brennan that he had nothing to do with the rezoning of Mr Jones's land at Ballycullen.

Mr Brennan told the tribunal this week he was certain he had had no discussions about the south Dublin land and had never met Mr Jones.

However, Mr Jones (81), a longtime Fianna Fáil supporter, flatly contradicted this account in his evidence yesterday. He said Mr Brennan and Tom Kitt, at a meeting in Mr Brennan's ministerial office, pressed him to "pull back" on his campaign to have the land rezoned. He had also sat beside Mr Brennan at a fundraising dinner in 1994 and often met him casually.

The tribunal is investigating allegations by lobbyist Frank Dunlop that he bribed councillors to support the rezoning in 1992. It is also examining substantial political donations made by Mr Jones around this time.

During his evidence on Thursday, tribunal lawyers asked Mr Brennan: "Did you have contact with Mr Jones in relation to anything?"

He replied: "No, I don't believe I did."

Yesterday Mr Jones expressed surprise at Mr Brennan's evidence and said he was absolutely certain he had met him.

At Mr Brennan's request, he met the two politicians in Mr Brennan's "palatial" ministerial offices. The purpose of the meeting was to see if he would "reduce the pressure" in his campaign to have the Ballycullen lands rezoned, Mr Jones explained. The two politicians weren't very happy he was on the same wavelength as they were.

The general impression was that the lands were not ready for development, whereas he had felt since the 1980s that they were ready. Across the road from his land, he pointed out, Dublin County Council itself had sold land for development.

Mr Jones's diary carries a reference to "Seamus B. and Tom Kitt" on January 23rd, 1991. He agreed yesterday this note could refer to his meeting with the politicians.

Mr Brennan told the tribunal it was physically impossible for him to have met Mr Jones on this day as he was at eight or nine other meetings. He also said he remembered the 1994 fundraising function well but had "no particular memory" of Mr Jones at the function.

However, Mr Jones said yesterday he sat beside Mr Brennan at this event, held in a Fianna Fáil supporter's house in Firhouse.

In his evidence last week, Mr Kitt acknowledged meeting Mr Jones in his offices but made no mention of a meeting involving Mr Brennan.

Mr Jones acknowledged that he was a political supporter of Mr Brennan and said he had been friendly with the politician's father for many years. The tribunal has heard he gave Mr Brennan £4,700 for Fianna Fáil's use locally and nationally. He also gave Mr Kitt about £4,000 in political donations.

He said he was surprised when Pat Rabbitte, then a Democratic Left councillor, supported the rezoning motion. Mr Dunlop had said he intended approaching Mr Rabbitte for support, but he had been reluctant because he thought DL was highly unlikely to give that support.

Lawyers for Senator Don Lydon acknowledged that their client had received an additional £2,000 cheque from Mr Jones in November 1993, shortly after the council voted to confirm the Ballycullen rezoning. This is in addition to the £7,000 in donations to Mr Lydon which have emerged up to now. The tribunal has also received further information from Mr Jones indicating an as yet undisclosed donation.