The Flood Tribunal has been told that the late Fine Gael councillor Tom Hand did have an overseas bank account.
Last months, Mr Hand's family had denied knowledge that he had ever held a bank account in Australia.
However, counsel representing the family today told the tribunal that after extensive inquiries they could confirm he held two overseas accounts - in Australia between 1991 and 1993.
Former government press secretary and lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop claimed last month that he had been given a bank account number by Cllr Hand who, he claimed, demanded payment of some £250,000 in return for his support for a major development in Dublin in 1992.
Mr Dunlop told the tribunal that he retained bank details furnished by Cllr Hand when he made the demand. This was a letter from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia with Cllr Hand's name and home address and a handwritten account number on it.
He said he showed this letter to one other person before giving evidence to the tribunal in 2000 and he discussed Mr Hand's demand with this person and others.
At the time Cllr Hand's family said there was no account in Cllr Hand's name with the Australian bank
