Corruption Charges......The Long Arm of the Law.....

Corruption Charges……..The Long Arm of the Law…..


Four former Fianna Fáil councillors have appeared at at the Dublin District Court today on corruption charges.

Independent councillor Tony Fox and former councillors Colm McGrath, Sean Gilbride, and Don Lydon, also a former senator, were in court this afternoon.

All four men are pleading not guilty to the charges, the court, under Judge David McHugh, was told.

Mr Gilbride was arrested in Skerries, Co Dublin, at 2.47pm and was taken to Bridewell Garda station. The other three men were arrested by appointment at Harcourt Garda station.

Mr Fox (70), of Mountainview Park, Churchtown, Dublin 14, is charged with four counts of corruptly accepting money on four dates in 1997 as an inducement to, or reward for, voting in favour of motions at Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to rezone lands at Carrickmines as industrial. The offences are alleged to have taken place in the Davenport Hotel in Dublin.

He is also charged with corruptly receiving a sum of money in 1992 as an inducement to, or reward for, voting in favour of a motion at Dublin County Council to zone 108 acres of land at Carrickmines for industrial use in the 1993 Dublin county development plan.

Mr Lydon (82) of San Antonio, Stillorgan Park Avenue, Dublin is charged with corruptly receiving a sum of money on May 4th, 1992, as an inducement to, or reward for, voting for a motion that Dublin County Council rezone some 108 acres of land in Carrickmines for industrial use in the 1993 Dublin county development plan.

Mr McGrath (64) of Swiftford, Saggart, Co Dublin is charged with corruptly receiving a sum of money, on a date betweeen June 12th and 29th, 1992, as an inducement to, or reward for, voting for a motion that Dublin County Council rezone some 108 acres of land in Carrickmines for industrial use in the 1993 Dublin county development plan.

When charged, Mr McGrath said: "I vehemently reject the charge".

Mr Gilbride (69) of Greenlawns, Skerries, Co Dublin is charged with receiving a sum of money at the offices of Frank Dunlop and Associates in 1992 as an inducement to, or reward for, voting in favour of a motion at Dublin City Council to rezone lands at Carrickmines as industrial in the 1993 Dublin county development plan.

When charged, he replied "not guilty", the court heard.

No objection was made to bail, and all four men were remanded to appear at the District Court next Thursday on their own bonds of €1,000.
Businessman Jim Kennedy has today been charged with corruptly giving money to a number of councillors.

Mr Kennedy, of Queens Quay, Gibraltar, faces a total of 16 charges relating to rezoning motions voted on by Dublin County Council and Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council concerning land in Carrickmines, Co Dublin.

The court was told today that gardaí objected to bail for Mr Kennedy. The 63-year-old has lived in the Isle of Man and Gibraltar over the past decade.

Gardaí told the court they have wanted to question the businessman, now a British citizen after renouncing his Irish citizenship in 2002, for eight years.

Mr Kennedy was remanded in custody with consent to bail to Cloverhill Prison until Tuesday. The court was told he had given an address in Hanover Terrace in the City of London during questioning and that gardaí believe he has links to Switzerland, the Canary Islands and the Isle of Man.

Judge David McHugh imposed bail conditions including a €30,000 cash lodgement and an independent surety of €50,000 on Mr Kennedy.

Mr Kennedy was also ordered to reside at apartment five, fourth floor, in the Four Seasons Hotel, Ballsbridge and surrender his passport. He was also told to sign on daily at Donnybrook Garda Station.

Earlier this week, Mr Kennedy had been taken to hospital after being taken ill in the early hours of Wednesday morning.