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A PROPERTY COMPANY carried out an “abuse of the democratic system” by paying substantial amounts of money to Dublin councillors in return for their support, the Mahon Tribunal has found.
In its final report, the Tribunal found that Monarch Group spent tens of thousands of euro between 1991 and 1996 to secure support for the rezoning of lands at Cherrywood in south Dublin, where it planned a major development.
Large numbers of councillors received payments, some of whom are yet to be identified.
The Tribunal found that “most, if not all” of these knew by 1992 that Monarch was funding the payments through a third party and that it “would require and was seeking their voting support at County Council meetings” for the rezoning.
However, it said that it was impossible to determine exactly how the payments affected councillors’ votes.
Five councillors are specifically named as having received corrupt payments. These are Fianna Fáil councillors Tony Fox, Colm McGrath, Don Lydon and GV Wright; and Fine Gael’s Tom Hand.
Tony Fox and Colm McGrath received corrupt payments from lobbyist Frank Dunlop, the Tribunal found.
Dunlop was paid €85,000 by Monarch between 1993 and 1995 as a way of “rewarding him for his efforts in promoting the Cherrywood project” as well as giving him additional funds “for disbursement to councillors”.
However, sports broadcaster Bill O’Herlihy, who carried out some services for Monarch and appeared at the tribunal, was found to have given evidence “in good faith”.
Although the company was engaged in a campaign of corruption, the Tribunal cleared O’Herlihy of any wrongdoing, finding:
The Tribunal was also satisfied that at all relevant times Mr O’Herlihy carried out his functions for Monarch in an entirely proper and professional manner.
Ceann Comhairle Seán Barrett was also cleared of allegations that had been made against him. The Tribunal found that he opposed the Monarch development and had not lobbied his Fine Gael party colleagues to accept it.
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Another political article on behalf of the Government.
Please, Journal, be honest with people.
In the US Presidential Election, at least the media outlets declared their preference and bias.
It’s the least you owe us.
@Garry Coll: hunger strike is the only solution lol
@Paul M Doe:
Not for me.
@Garry Coll: what bias, just reporting verifies facts from meta. Please point to the bias
@Paul M Doe: I just scrolled down half a mile to get to comments,, left wing media sure make it difficult, still drying they/them eyes,
@Joe Mc Dermott: jajajaja,or you could just clicked on the thing that says comments under the headline saving your poor little fingies the trauma
@Joe Mc Dermott: Do your Right Wing Media sources publish the comments above articles?
@Garry Coll: You don’t like facts and truth if you object to this article.
@Garry Coll: Did ya not know The Journal changed their name to CNN?
@HisMastersAlibi: That doesn’t work for me on Iphone 13, takes me to the top of the article, tried other articles, same.
Sharia Fein down the drain. Vote Independent/Nationalist.
Keep Hamas/Hezbollah out of Ireland!!!
@Finian McG: isn’t it time u went to bed and stop spouting drivel…
@Clare Power: are you a misandrist? Who are you to tell a man how to live his life?
@Finian McG: You just told people to vote for a particular party!! I would think a bit more before u reply in the future…
@Clare Power: what particular party ….think a bit now….
@Finian McG: good deflection..
@Clare Power: …from you lol!…what particular party did I recommend voting for?
@Finian McG: that would be the party of racists and trouble makers…Hamas in Ireland…please…
@Clare Power: Hamas in Ireland? That party would be Sharia Fein, surely?
You still say what particular party I recommended voting for…
@Finian McG: don’t mind that Karen
SF as usual is making a concerted effort to control social media. It is obvious from the thumbs up on snide remarks about FF or FG and their standing in the polls. Now we get a picture of their spending on advertisements on social media.
@Vincent Alexander: meanwhile FFG bootlickers are up at all hours of night trolling and trying to offend as many people as possible. Never seen a classless comment from a SF supporter, you can’t say the same…
@Eoin .h: Just read the first line and you contradict your own comment
NCH 2.2 Billion..
RTE 750 Million..
Security Hut 550,000..
Bike Shed 336,000..
@Michale Kane: how many are in the pedo ring?
@Paul M Doe: Dunno… ask your hero Trump ? Or BK’s in FF & FG ? Sure maybe easier ask them all together at ur next gathering eh ! ..
@Michale Kane: you are hurting shinner, your evil cult has been badly found out :)
@Michale Kane: why are you dense?
@Lefty Cries: the desperation the FFG voters at this point. Trolling around through the night desperate to offend someone
No vote for SF never
@Lefty Cries: Vote ABSF – Anybody But Sinn Féin
@Vincent Alexander: i be voting anyone bar ff or fg. Cost living is effecting lots Irish people.
FG definitely getting my vote
@Lefty Cries: Shinners desperately spending trying to humanise themselves, won’t work lol
Sorry state of affairs, when Ivana Bacik looks better than Micheal Martin
And how money did FG spend on the journal ? lol
@Michale Kane: there are few things on this planet as enjoyable as the shinner persecution complex :D
@Michale Kane: I am enjoying myself
SF spent all that money on a failed campaign lol
@Lefty Cries: or on text messages for the youth vote
The only chance of the Shinners getting elected is if they buy their way in.
@Sam Walsh: well they have the northern bank money, one of their many many crimes
Show me a shinner and I’ll show you a sk umbag
How depressing that the country will more than likely end up with a FFFG coalition. We are now a one party state!!!
@Mike Dunne: It would be worse if we ended up being governed by a Northern Ireland party.
Do these clowns not understand that ad blockers exist?
It’s not going to happen. People may have had enough of the government. But they are absolutely fed up with SF. Party of chaos (internally regarding their own members, and externally if they got anywhere near making decisions that would affect all of us).
After reading one of the most biased articles by this Journalist on ROG & the Greens, it’s really hard to afford this article any credibility. It’s hard to decipher who to believe in Irish MSM anymore. I certainly don’t believe a thing from RTE as their Lies & Misinformation around salaries & corporate governance & their conduct around the Referendums. Irish Journalism is truly dead & in the pocket of lots of vested interests.
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