Dublin Fine Gael Councillor Anne Devitt has denied a conflict of interest in receiving €20,000 from a developer for negotiating access through health board lands.
The Mahon Tribunal heard today that Ms Devitt was chairwoman of the Northern Area Health Board when she acted on behalf of builder Joe Moran in 2002.
Ms Devitt said she was acting as a consultant when she arranged road access from the health board lands for land rezoned for industry at Lissenhall near Swords.
She said there was no conflict of interest because she had told health board personnel that she was acting as a consultant and not as chairwoman.
The only conflict would arise if the matter came up for discussion at a health board meeting and it was her intention to declare an interest and withdraw from the discussion.
Ms Devitt said it was her job to ‘push’ the board in providing information on how agreement could be reached with Rayband, the owners of the lands.
Rayband, largely owned by builder Joe Moran, had agreed to provide a new ambulance shelter and workshop centre for the disabled which she said were badly needed.
Ms Devitt said she had seconded the original motion to rezone the Lissenhall lands in 1993 and had asked fellow Fine Gael councillors to support it.
However, she denied influencing Fingal County Council in regard to planning while acting for Joe Moran.
She said she cannot explain why Mr Moran's name appeared on another invoice when she received over €12,500 for giving advice on public/private partnerships to a land agent in 1999.
