Lobbyist Frank Dunlop told the tribunal yesterday that Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan made a donation of £5,000 to Fianna Fáil councillor GV Wright after being advised to do so by Minister of State Batt O'Keeffe.
Mr Dunlop said he also gave Mr Wright £5,000 on the same day, November 11th, 1992, in advance of the general election.
Mr Wright was a member of Dublin County Council, which was considering Mr O'Callaghan's Quarryvale development at the time. He was also running in the general election.
Mr Dunlop said Mr O'Callaghan had approached him in his office and said he had been advised to help out GV Wright and asked whether he felt it would be appropriate. Mr Dunlop had advised him that it would be.
The tribunal heard that when Mr Dunlop and Mr O'Callaghan arrived at Mr Wright's home in Malahide, Mr O'Keeffe was already there.
Mr Dunlop said the four men had a brief conversation and Mr O'Keeffe left shortly afterwards.
They then discussed Quarryvale and Mr Wright gave assurances of his ongoing support of the project.
Mr O'Callaghan handed an envelope containing £5,000 to Mr Wright, the tribunal heard, and he left. Afterwards, Mr Dunlop said, he gave Mr Wright a further £5,000. Council for the tribunal, Patricia Dillon SC asked if he had discussed his payment with Mr O'Callaghan, given that they travelled to Malahide in the same car.
Mr Dunlop said he had not discussed it at the time, but he did mention he would be "inundated with requests" for donations.
"As soon as the general election was called, the telephone walked off the desk," he said.
Ms Dillon told the tribunal Mr O'Callaghan acknowledged he gave a donation, but said he made it because Mr Wright asked him to. And, she said, Mr Wright acknowledged he received both sums, but they were not related to "any land deal".
Ms Dillon pointed out that Mr Wright voted in favour of the Quarryvale development, capped at 250,000sq ft, at the council the following month. She said it was fair to say he took a "pro-Quarryvale position".
