The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, will face further questions in the Dáil today over allegations that a former adviser canvassed Fianna Fáil councillors on how to vote in a north Dublin land rezoning.
Mr Ahern said yesterday he knew nothing about a series of telephone calls said to have been made by his former special adviser, Mr Paddy Duffy, asking councillors to vote in favour of the €450 million rezoning of 225 acres in Santry Demense in May 1998.
According to a report in yesterday's Irish Independent, Mr Duffy identified himself to councillors as calling from the Department of the Taoiseach and said a vote in favour of a plan to construct apartments on the historic site would be "appreciated". The plot of land, which was originally owned by Mr Robert "Pino" Harris, a well-known Fianna Fáil supporter and Dublin truck importer, was valued by the council at the time at £17 million.
It was purchased, conditional on it being rezoned, by Woodford Developments, headed up by Mr Bill Kilmurray and Mr Derek Tughan. Luxury apartments have since been built and sold on the site. Further development is planned including a business park and a hotel.
Asked about the matter yesterday, Mr Ahern said: "First of all, I know nothing about the thing, but as I understand it, the development out there was a proposal of the manager and it had strong support from the local community. So it wasn't a question that there was any kind of a row out there. It had very strong support." The Taoiseach was asked if he had directed Mr Duffy to make any phone calls or to contact councillors, "No, no," he replied.
He understood that Mr Duffy was a friend of Mr Kilmurray but asked if he was a Fianna Fáil supporter, Mr Ahern said: "If he is, I don't know that. I know what his political allegiance is and he's not Fianna Fáil. That's it."
Mr Duffy was not available for comment yesterday but has previously denied knowledge of the lobbying.
The Opposition is expected to raise the controversy in the Dáil today. Fine Gael frontbench spokesman Mr Brian Hayes said if the revelations proved to be true, Mr Ahern had serious questions to answer. He said Mr Ahern must state whether he or anyone on his behalf had discussions with the beneficiary of the rezoning, Mr Harris.
"When did Mr Ahern become aware of the high-level interventions by Mr Duffy? Given that these actions were taken by Mr Duffy, a full year before he resigned as the Taoiseach's adviser, did Mr Ahern consider Mr Duffy's actions to be in breach of his terms of employment?"
Labour's spokesman for the environment, Mr Eamon Gilmore,said the lobbying occurred a year after the resignation of Mr Ray Burke and at a time when the Flood tribunal was already up and running. "It is almost beyond belief that such a key figure in the Taoiseach's office should be involving himself in such a controversial planning issue."
Mr Duffy resigned as a special adviser to Mr Ahern in June 1999 after it was revealed that he was listed as a director of a public affairs firm, Dillon Consultants. That firm had advised the telecommunications group NTL on its successful bid to buy Cablelink from two State companies the previous month.
The Public Offices Commission subsequently found that the Taoiseach showed "a lack of attention to a statutory duty" in failing to lay material concerning Mr Duffy before the Oireachtas by the time of the accepted deadline.
The Moriarty tribunal has investigated the controversial sale of Carysfort College by Mr Harris to University College Dublin in 1990. At the time the opposition accused the government and Mr Charles Haughey of putting pressure on UCD to buy the site from Mr Harris, claiming he was a friend of Mr Haughey.