Motion to rezone land against advice, Flood told

A 1992 motion to rezone 108 acres at Carrickmines, Co Dublin for industrial use was proposed despite strong recommendations from the county manager that the land was totally unsuitable.

A report from the manager noted the isolated property had totally inadequate road access and steep contours and therefore failed to meet the most basic criteria for industrial land, the Flood tribunal heard today.Access would require a whole new junction to be built long the South Eastern motorway, the expense of which would "not be warranted". A subsequent manager's report in 1998 reiterated the unsuitability of the property.

However, Fianna Fáil Senator Don Lydon, who earlier denied asking Mr Frank Dunlop for a £5,000 bribe in return for proposing the motion, repeatedly insisted in the face of questioning by Mr John Gallagher, SC for the tribunal, that the only reason he actually did so was because he thought it was "a very good development".

He felt it would bring jobs and an opportunity to levy much-needed rates to the council. Time had proved him right on this, he said, adding he felt he should be complimented for his "foresightedness".

The only reason it was even an issue, he claimed, was because of controversial businessman Mr Jim Kennedy's suspected involvement in the lands.

The tribunal chairman, Mr Justice Feargus Flood, was drawn into the questioning, asking Mr Lydon if he felt he was warranted in "binning the manager's report" and proposing the motion.

"Yes, I do," the senator replied. "The manager always has to point out the difficulties, while it's our [county councillors] job to point out the possibilities."

Mr Flood: "And no other factor influenced you?"

Mr Lydon: "No."

The senator argued that he, and his party, were always pro-development, despite constant objections from residential and environmental groups. "If An Taisce was in Italy, Sorrento would never have been built," he said.

He conceded there was widespread local opposition to the proposal, but this would not affect his electoral prospects, as the land was in a different electoral ward to his Stillorgan base. He effectively had "electoral immunity", he agreed with Mr Gallagher.