The Mahon tribunal has completed its hearings into the latest rezoning allegation by the lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop after just 15 days, writes Paul Cullen.
The Fianna Fáil TD Mr G.V. Wright, one of four county councillors whom Mr Dunlop alleges he bribed in return for the rezoning of lands at Drumnigh in north Co Dublin, completed his evidence yesterday. A new module of investigation is scheduled to begin next week.
Mr Wright admitted yesterday that his evidence to the party inquiry into payments to politicians was "sloppy" but insisted that he took its questions very seriously.
Mr Wright conceded that some of his answers to the inquiry in 2000 "just weren't good enough" but said he had done the best he could. He denied to Mr Aidan Redmond, for Mr Frank Dunlop, that he had treated the inquiry in a "cavalier" fashion.
Mr Redmond had pointed out that Mr Wright had failed to tell the inquiry about a £2,000 donation he got from Ballymore Homes. He at no time subsequently informed the party about this donation. Mr Wright said he hadn't been asked about the Ballymore Homes donation, and the inquiry's papers had since been sent to the tribunal.
Mr Redmond said the witness had received over £30,000 in political donations in 1992 yet he hadn't sought a ruling from the Revenue Commissioners on whether these payments could be treated as tax-free.
Mr Wright agreed he had not contacted the Revenue in relation to political donations he received between 1991 and the introduction of the Standards in Public Office Act in 1997.
Over two years after the tribunal asked him to provide it with information on all unexplained lodgments in his accounts, Mr Wright has failed to do so, the tribunal heard.
The tribunal wrote to Mr Wright seeking the information in October 2001, but received no response until last month, when the TD provided explanations for lodgments relating to the current module of investigation.
Ms Patricia Dillon SC, for the tribunal, said the witness had taken just three days to provide this information "at the 11th hour", yet after two years he still hadn't submitted the rest of the details sought by the tribunal.
There were 170 queries in relation to one bank account, but only two had been answered. She asked when the outstanding information would be provided.
Mr Wright said it would be provided "forthwith". He had discussed the requests from the tribunal with his accountants many times but he admitted that he only took action when "the gun is to my head" because the current module was starting.
Ms Dillon said £9,500 had been transferred from Mr Wright's political account to a joint account with his wife over a six-month period in 1993. Was it the case, she asked, that the TD's political fund was being used to support his domestic expenses? There was no election in that year, apart from a Senate campaign that ended in January.
Mr Wright said this was definitely not the case. He used this funding for office expenses and political expenditure. At the time there was no State funding for constituency offices, and he had employed a part-time secretary.
He agreed with Mr Gerard Hogan SC, for Mr Denis Mahony, that it was extraordinarily improbable that he would have sought a bribe for the rezoning of Mr Mahony's lands in north Co Dublin, as Mr Dunlop has alleged.
Mr Wright said he had been friendly with Mr Mahony for over 20 years and had already promised his support for the rezoning.
Mr Wright said he had a "different vision" from the planners about development in north Dublin. He was "pro-investment, pro-jobs, pro-housing and pro-community facilities".
Asked why Mr Dunlop was making allegations against him, Mr Wright said he believed Mr Dunlop had to do damage to other people in order to boost his own credibility.