Dunlop refuses to reveal name of man he met in hotel

Mahon Tribunal:"Wild horses" would not get lobbyist Frank Dunlop to reveal the name of the man he met in a Dublin hotel in 2000 and who was subsequently appointed to the High Court, the Mahon tribunal was told yesterday.

Counsel for the tribunal, Patricia Dillon SC, questioned Mr Dunlop about an entry in his diary for February 17th, 2000, which said "meeting Colm A & ANO Davenport". "Wild horses wouldn't get me to tell you who that was," Mr Dunlop said.

He acknowledged that "Colm A" was his former barrister, Colm Allen SC, and he met him in the Davenport Hotel on that date, but he refused to reveal the identity of "ANO".

"Let me say this has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the remit of this tribunal," Mr Dunlop said. "And I know this may cause you, chairman, and other members of the bench some discomfort, but this was a gentleman seeking appointment to the High Court, which he subsequently was [ given]," he said.

Tribunal chairman Alan Mahon said Mr Dunlop could discuss the matter with his counsel overnight and they would return to the subject today, "to see whether it is necessary to follow it up". Mr Dunlop was also asked to explain an entry for April 28th 2000, which said "T @ home". Ms Dillon pointed out that Mr Dunlop had said "T" usually stood for Taoiseach, and she asked him if he had a meeting with Bertie Ahern on that day. Mr Dunlop said he did not, but could not identify who it was he met.

"I have not spoken to Bertie Ahern for nigh on eight years," he said. He also said he did not recall meeting any senior politician since he gave information about payments to councillors to the tribunal in April 2000. Mr Dunlop reiterated that Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan never asked him if he made improper payments to councillors while promoting the development of the Quarryvale project.

Mr Dunlop was employed by Mr O'Callaghan in 1991 to promote the project, now the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre. He was paid expenses and a regular retainer for his services.

The tribunal had heard that Mr Dunlop paid £70,000 to politicians to ensure the Quarryvale project got planning permission.

Ms Dillon took Mr Dunlop through his diary for 1999 and 2000 and examined meetings with Mr O'Callaghan and other people related to Quarryvale.

"Did Mr O'Callaghan ever seek assurance that you had not made an improper payment?" Ms Dillon asked. Mr Dunlop replied that he never sought such assurances.

"I have no recollection of him asking for reassurances and I can say to you definitively that I never did [give assurances]," he said. Ms Dillon outlined articles in the papers in 1999, which said Mr O'Callaghan had donated money to former taoiseach Albert Reynolds in 1994 and that he had attended a private Fianna Fáil dinner in Cork that year at which £150,000 was raised.

Ms Dillon asked if, given that Mr Dunlop was still on retainer to Mr O'Callaghan at the time, he was asked to correct this information in the press.

Mr Dunlop said he was never asked. Ms Dillon asked if he thought the media trusted him when they asked him questions about the tribunal.

Mr Dunlop said they depended on him and other PR people for stories.

"You were a person who had your own secrets to protect . . ." Ms Dillon said.

"We all have secrets, Ms Dillon," Mr Dunlop responded. "You find that more and more of our secrets, including yours, will become more and more evident in the public mind."