Councillor who tribunal said received 'improper' payments gets appointment

Fine GaelA Fine Gael councillor named as having received "improper" payments from lobbyist Frank Dunlop in the Mahon tribunal report has been appointed to the executive of the Local Authorities Members' Association, the representative body for councillors.

In its recent newsletter, the association announced Therese Ridge would replace Fine Gael’s Cait Keane as the representative for South Dublin County Council. She has been a councillor with the local authority since it was set up in 1993, representing Clondalkin. She also represented Clondalkin on the old Dublin County Council from 1985. She unsuccessfully stood for the Dáil and Seanad on a number of occasions.

Ms Ridge was on Dublin County Council when Mr Dunlop was lobbying for the rezoning of land at Quarryvale, now the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, and had supported the development. She received £1,000 from Mr Dunlop and he also discharged some of her election expenses. The tribunal described the payments as “entirely improper”.