#100,000 bribes allegation 'just filth'

Senator Don Lydon of Fianna Fáil has rejected as "filth" an allegation that he was given £100,000 to distribute as bribes to other councillors.

Dr Lydon described as outrageous the allegation by PR consultant Bill O'Herlihy that he was told Mr Lydon was the "lead councillor" given the money by Monarch Properties for distribution to councillors in return for their support for the rezoning of its land at Cherrywood.

He also said it was outrageous that the tribunal had allowed the allegation to be introduced, though he agreed that Mr O'Herlihy had only mentioned his name under protest.

The allegation had damaged his chances of getting elected for a sixth term to the Seanad next year, he told the tribunal. "There's always some people who believe that sort of thing and say 'there's no smoke without fire'. It's appalling what's happened to me. How would you feel if your wife was at home listening to you on the one o'clock news and you heard your husband described as the leader of corruption in Dublin county council?"

One newspaper the following day linked him to a £100,000 bribe but "there was no bribe, there was no linkage, it was just filth".

Last month, Mr O'Herlihy, who was employed by Monarch to lobby for the rezoning, said company executive Richard Lynn told him in 1992 that councillors had to be bought to get a planning matter through the council. Mr Lydon was the "lead councillor" who distributed money to his colleagues in return for their votes, Mr Lynn is alleged to have said.

However, Mr O'Herlihy acknowledged that the allegation was complete hearsay and that Mr Lynn could have been "a fellow boasting in a bar" or "taking the mickey out of me". Mr Lynn has denied making the comments.

Mr Lydon said the allegation was "pure, utter rubbish" yet it had had an awful effect on him. While the newspapers had printed that it was just an allegation, people only read the headlines. He didn't think Mr O'Herlihy had anything against him and had said the best he could, but he suggested the tribunal could remedy matters by saying the allegation was just rubbish.

He told his counsel, Séamus Ó Tuathail SC, that he had raised over €1 million for charitable purposes over the past 20 or 30 years.