Quarryvale hearing set for March

MAHON TRIBUNAL: The tribunal yesterday adjourned its hearings into the ownership of Jackson Way's land at Carrickmines, but intends to continue these hearings in May.

This means that the politically explosive Quarryvale hearings will themselves be adjourned before the run-up to the local and European elections, and the finale of Ireland's EU presidency.

The long-awaited hearings into allegations of bribery and corruption surrounding the rezoning of Quarryvale in west Dublin will start on March 2nd, the tribunal has now confirmed.

Judge Alan Mahon told the tribunal yesterday that the new module of investigation would start next month and continue until the end of April or the start of May.

The Quarryvale hearings are being divided into two phases, the first dealing with the allegations of property developer Mr Tom Gilmartin, who gave a £50,000 cheque to former Fianna Fáil minister Mr Padraig Flynn in June 1989.

Mr Gilmartin, who had several high-level meetings with senior party figures at this time, alleges he was subjected to extortion demands in return for official support for his plans to develop Quarryvale.

The second phase of the Quarryvale investigation will deal with allegations by former Government press secretary Mr Frank Dunlop that he bribed councillors to secure the rezoning of the site, which is now known as the Liffey Valley centre. These hearings are unlikely to start until later in the year.

While the tribunal is not sitting next week, it had intended returning the following week for hearings into the issue of legal costs for the first five years of its existence. However, the Oireachtas has not yet passed the emergency legislation designed to allow Judge Mahon to rule on this issue, it spite of the fact that it was promised by the end of last year.