Stanley was not interviewed by gardai

Mahon Tribunal:  Gardaí investigating allegations of planning corruption in 1989 never interviewed one of the central figures under investigation, it has emerged.

Mr Sam Stanley, a land agent acting for businessman Mr Jim Kennedy, told the tribunal yesterday gardaí never contacted him during their investigation. This was in spite of serious allegations, which are denied by Mr Stanley, made to gardaí at the time.

In July 1989, Mr Bob Tracey, a farmer in Carrickmines, made a statement to gardaí about his involvement with Mr Stanley and Mr Kennedy.

Mr Tracey claimed the two men told him that politicians and officials would have to be bribed to secure the rezoning of his land. At the time, Mr Tracey was in negotiations to sell his 108-acre property to Mr Kennedy and Mr Stanley was acting as a go-between.

His statement, which was central to the 1989 Garda investigation, was revealed officially for the first time at the tribunal yesterday.

In it, he quotes Mr Kennedy and Mr Stanley as saying: "Your land is zoned agricultural and it will stay that way unless we get it in hand. We have inroads with the planning authorities. Both of them said £20,000 had to be 'thrown in' to the Fianna Fáil Party for starters. There are men who have to get £10,000 each." In addition, there were three men in the planning office who had to be paid £10,000.

According to Mr Tracey, Mr Stanley said Mr Kennedy was related to George Redmond by marriage. Mr Kennedy and Redmond went on holidays together and Redmond had all his expenses paid by Mr Kennedy. "That costs money," Mr Tracey was told.

Mr Tracey's late brother Jack, who was involved in some of the negotiations, also swore a statement for the Garda. This is similar to his brother's, except that he attributes the remarks about bribing councillors and officials to Mr Kennedy, rather than both men.

Mr Jack Tracey quoted Mr Kennedy as saying: "It would have to be rezoned to residential. There would have to be planning permission sought and that would cost me £20,000 for the Fianna Fáil Party for the rezoning.

"There are these three fellows in the Planning Office that would be £10,000 each and that we were bound to have an objection which would necessitate an appeal to An Bord Pleanála."

In evidence yesterday, Mr Stanley said there were a number of contradictions between the brothers' statements. There was never any mention of figures or money being paid to Fianna Fáil at any meeting he attended.

Asked to explain Mr Tracey's account, Mr Stanley said Mr Tracey was "vexatious" at the time and "highly annoyed" at the way the negotiations had turned out.

However, the references to Redmond had been made during their discussions, he said.