Lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop was accused yesterday by the lawyer of former Fine Gael senator, Mr Liam Cosgrave, of telling lies in a new statement he made to the Flood tribunal.
Mr Dunlop rejected all accusations made by Mr Michael O'Higgins SC, for Mr Cosgrave, who also claimed the lobbyist was tailoring and changing his evidence to suit the picture as it unfolded.
Last week, the tribunal asked Mr Dunlop to write down the names of politicians with whom he had discussed his evidence in advance of appearing at the tribunal, and for the names of other people, including clients and journalists, with whom he had had discussions. He was also asked to submit a statement based on the lists.
Yesterday, Mr O'Higgins asked Mr Dunlop to read out the statement. Mr Dunlop, reading the statement, said that at the establishment of the tribunal and given the intense media conjecture and speculation as to what would happen, it was generally accepted that the tribunal would be short and would not get anywhere.
He said there was also much amusement, particularly over Mr James Gogarty's evidence, and a general air of complacency which was dismissive of the powers of the tribunal. This, however, changed rapidly when the terms were extended and the debate turned to money and who received what and when and for what.
Mr O'Higgins said: "I suggest the statement is lies." He said Mr Dunlop had heard the phrase "a liar had to have a good memory". For the last 14 days they had listened to him and had seen elements of his memory, which was fastidious and photographic.
"I suggest one deficiency is that you are lazy and don't check your facts," he said.
Mr Dunlop said he rejected that and what he had said in the statement was what occurred.
Mr O'Higgins said in the statement that Mr Dunlop gave a list of politicians with whom he had discussions.
Mr Dunlop had said that those with nothing to hide were completely indifferent but others who had received monies "began to weave a web of intrigue as to the reasons and motives for such monies. I participated in this intrigue."
Mr O'Higgins said: "I put it to you that for a whole decade you ripped off the planning system."
Mr Dunlop said he objected to the expression used. He participated in planning matters which were now under investigation, he said. Mr O'Higgins said Mr Dunlop paid to abuse the system. Mr Dunlop said he did. Mr O'Higgins put it to him that he had made an enormous amount of money. Mr Dunlop said: "Some money."
Mr O'Higgins said Mr Dunlop was a multimillionaire, which Mr Dunlop denied.
Mr O'Higgins said: "You took an oath at the tribunal to tell the truth and you spurned it. You lied and you lied and you lied." Mr Dunlop denied it.
Mr O'Higgins said he had been mainly engaged in the business of PR and influencing how other people thought. "You're tailoring and changing your evidence to suit the picture as it unfolds." Mr Dunlop said: "No."
Mr O'Higgins said Mr Dunlop had fooled all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time and now he arrogantly sat there trying to fool all of the people all of the time.
Mr Dunlop said he rejected that.