FORMER GOVERNMENT press secretary Frank Dunlop has pleaded guilty to five sample counts of corruption.
Dunlop (61), Dunboyne, Co Meath, was charged last November with 16 counts of bribing Dublin county councillors in return for the rezoning of land at Carrickmines, south Dublin.
Dunlop was remanded on continuing bail after a brief hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
He is due to be sentenced on May 18th.
Dunlop could face up to seven years in jail and/or a fine of €50,000.
Yesterday, he pleaded guilty to giving £3,000 (€3,800) to former Fianna Fáil senator Don Lydon at St John of God’s Hospital in Dublin; £2,000 to Fianna Fáil councillor Colm McGrath and £1,000 to Fianna Fáil councillor Seán Gilbride, all in 1992, in relation to the rezoning of lands at Carrickmines for development.
He also pleaded guilty to giving a sum of money to former Fine Gael senator Liam Cosgrave at Buswells Hotel in Dublin on December 23rd, 1997, and a further sum of money to Fianna Fáil councillor Tony Fox at the Davenport Hotel in Dublin between October 30th and December 25th 1997, also in relation to the Carrickmines lands.
State prosecutor Seán Gillane said the Director of Public Prosecutions had accepted pleas on the sample counts, adding that further pleas on the remaining 11 charges would not be required.
He told the judge the prosecution’s evidence covered a five-year period and would take up to an hour.
The charges which were not pursued were those relating to corrupt payments made to the politicians already named in the sample charges or to councillors who have since died.
He entered a guilty plea on five sample counts.
Dunlop’s barrister Aidan Redmond said his mitigation would also take up to an hour.
There was no objection to Dunlop being remanded on continuing bail.
He was arrested by members of the Criminal Assets Bureau in November and was quickly before Dublin District Court.
At the time, the court was told that when charged, Dunlop replied: “We always knew this day was coming and I will not be contesting the charges.”