MAHON TRIBUNAL:A PROPERTY developer involved with the Quarryvale project in Dublin told the tribunal he had absolutely no idea what references to a "big one" in the diary of lobbyist Frank Dunlop referred to.
John Deane, a partner of Cork developer Owen O'Callaghan in the project, was asked about four references to "big one" in Mr Dunlop's diary in the period January 1993 to June 1994.
Mr Dunlop was at the time involved in lobbying for planning permission for the Quarryvale project, and has told the tribunal he was making payments to councillors in return for their votes.
A note for June 1st, 1994, in Mr Dunlop's diary records a meeting between Mr O'Callaghan and Mr Dunlop in Mr Dunlop's office.
"Spoke re big one," reads the note. " said he hoped to have the whole situation sorted by the end of the month."
Pat Quinn SC, for the tribunal, asked Mr Deane whether he knew what the reference to "big one" related to.
"I have absolutely no idea what it relates to," Mr Deane said.
He said Mr O'Callaghan never talked to him about any discussion he'd had with Mr Dunlop concerning a "big one". Mr Deane said he hadn't the remotest idea what the reference meant.
He expected that if Mr O'Callaghan was entering into an agreement with Mr Dunlop, he would be informed. Mr Deane was an equal partner with Mr O'Callaghan in Riga Ltd, which had a 40 per cent interest in Barkhill Ltd, which was developing the Quarryvale project with Tom Gilmartin and AIB.
Mr Deane said he knew that Mr O'Callaghan was involved in "intensive lobbying" of councillors in Dublin, along with Mr Dunlop.
Mr Deane said he was in the Fianna Fáil offices in Dublin County Council in December 1992 when the council was voting on planning permission for the Quarryvale site.
• The Morris Tribunal has been granted a three month extension to allow it complete its findings into Garda corruption in Co Donegal in the 1990s.
Justice Frederick Morris had been due to issue his final two reports at the end of June but yesterday the Government granted him a time extension until September.
The long-running inquiry is into the death of cattle dealer Richie Barron, in Raphoe, Co Donegal in October 1996.
A Morris Tribunal report released in early May found Garda detectives conjured up evidence and made bogus arrests during the murder investigation.
