Mahon told developer paid Lawlor to change post district

A Lucan property developer has claimed he gave the former Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Liam Lawlor, £45,000 to relist one of his building projects into a more favourable postal district.

Mr Seamus Ross of Menolly Homes told the Mahon tribunal that he gave the money to Mr Lawlor, who he described as a "plague", because he was "frightened" of his political power.

He said he was asked for £20,000 by Mr Lawlor in 1996 in return for having a housing estate listed in Lucan, rather than in Clondalkin.

He said he had told Mr Lawlor about problems he was having with the postal district designation, and the politician offered to fix it for him. Such a redesignation would greatly increase the value of the development, Mr Ross said, estimating that he could sell the 550 houses involved for an extra £5,000 each.

Mr Ross testified that he initially agreed to pay Mr Lawlor £20,000. However, Mr Lawlor came back to him in July 1996, demanding another £20,000, which he also paid.

Mr Ross said the politician asked him several times for more money. He eventually gave him £5,000 on New Year's Day, 1998.

Asked by Mr John Gallagher, SC for the tribunal, why he did not refuse to pay, Mr Ross said the former Dublin West TD "would leave you in no doubt" that he had "certain powers he could use against you".

He was concerned Mr Lawlor would be able to damage his chances of securing planning permission for a number of projects Menolly Homes was involved in.

"I didn't know whether it was better to keep him on side or to reject him totally," he said. "I saw him as a plague."

The builder also claimed he told Mr Lawlor in January 1998 that "there would be no more money", offering instead to give him a discount on a house.

He said Mr Lawlor came back to him some months later seeking a house for his son, who was living in New York at the time. Mr Ross said he agreed to give him a £20,000 discount on the property, which was valued at around £100,000. He also spent a further £5,000 on furnishing it.

Mr Ross said Mr Lawlor demanded the keys so his daughter, rather than his son, could move in, despite the fact that the sale had not yet been closed. He ended up having to instigate legal proceedings to recoup the money, with Mr Lawlor finally paying him "at the eleventh hour".