FF TD did not tell party inquiry of £2,000 donation

Fianna Fáil TD Charlie O'Connor has said that he did not inform an internal party inquiry about a £2,000 donation from a development company in 1991 as he received it prior to his election as a public representative.

Giving evidence at the Mahon tribunal yesterday, Mr O'Connor said he received a £2,000 donation from a firm linked to Monarch Properties in April 1991 just before the local elections in that year.

He said he did not include the donation in his declaration to the Fianna Fáil internal inquiry in 2000 as he did not believe it was relevant as it concerned a period before his election. He told the inquiry of two other donations from Monarch of £500 and £450 in 1992 and in 1999. Mr O'Connor said that he did not remember the donation from the company in 1991 and that the first time he recalled it was when he read about details of it recently.

He said he did not set out knowingly to conceal the donation from the party's inquiry.

Mr O'Connor said the donation was the largest he had received in 1991.

Senior counsel for the tribunal Patricia Dillon contended that the Fianna Fáil deputy could not have forgotten about the money as it was the largest amount he had received.

Mr O'Connor said that he had concentrated on his period as a public representative.

Mr O'Connor said he had never been asked specifically by Monarch Properties for support in relation to the firm's proposals for land in Cherrywood in south Dublin. The tribunal is investigating the rezoning of these lands in the 1990s.

Asked by Judge Gerald Keys as to whether receiving political contributions could have an effect on how members voted on rezoning proposals, Mr O'Connor replied: "I would hope not".