Fianna Fáil Senator Don Lydon today insisted he knew nothing about a £2,500 cheque-for-cash received from a prominent businessman 14 years ago.
He told the planning tribunal he had no record of getting the money from Chris Jones when efforts were being made to steer a controversial development plan through Dublin County Council.
Mr Lydon declared that he was not trying to hide it, but that he had no knowledge of this cheque.
He conceded receiving other cheques as political donations during election periods, but also admitted that no poll had been pending when the previously undisclosed amount was received in 1993.
At the time, Mr Lydon was a member of the county council, which was considering plans to rezone land at Ballycullen, south Dublin.
