Former Fianna Fáil Councillor Colm McGrath has rejected an allegation that he demanded a bribe to support the rezoning of lands at Cherrywood in south Dublin.
However, Mr McGrath accepted at the Mahon Tribunal that he received a total of £2,600 in election donations from the owners of the lands, Monarch Properties.
Mr McGrath said he was in favour of development and had been lobbied by a representative of Monarch who wanted to get increased housing density on the lands.
But he said it had not been clear to him that lobbyist Frank Dunlop was involved.
He denied Mr Dunlop's claim that when approached by him to support a council motion in November 1993 he replied ‘fine but that will cost you’.
Mr McGrath said: ‘I totally refute that.’
He denied he was a key figure on Dublin County Council at the time and said he had no recollection of discussing Monarch's rezoning motion with party colleagues in a room above a nearby pub.
He also denied receiving £2,000 in cash from Mr Dunlop after the council passed the motion.
But he accepted receiving three donations from Monarch totalling £1,600 as well as contributions to golf classics totaling £1,000 all paid between 1991 and 1999.
