[article]Builder alleges payment for address: Tribunal

star gazer

http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1008/mahon.html

October 8, 2003

"(16:38) A builder has said that he paid the former Fianna Fáil TD, Liam Lawlor, £40,000 to get a better postal address for a housing development in west Dublin.

Seamus Ross, of Menolly Homes, said the money was paid in two instalments so the houses would be listed in Lucan rather than Clondalkin.

He told the Mahon Tribunal that within days of giving Mr Lawlor a payment of £20,000, An Post wrote to him informing him that the postal address for his lands was now Lucan.

He said Mr Lawlor returned to him later in 1996, and asked him by how much had the change of address benefited him.

Mr Ross said he told him the alteration had made him an extra £2.7m.

He then agreed to give Mr Lawlor a cheque for £20,000 made out to Baltic Timber, the tribunal heard."


This shows a seriously bad system of governance. Is this guy for real?

Floater

Originally posted by star gazer
http://www.rte.ie/news/2003/1008/mahon.html
He told the Mahon Tribunal that within days of giving Mr Lawlor a payment of £20,000, An Post wrote to him informing him that the postal address for his lands was now Lucan.

You'd wonder why An Post wrote to him? ie who did / gave what to whom and why between the payment being made to Lawlor and the issue of a letter by An Post!

If addresses are so all important, An Post might be able to eliminate its losses this year by re-naming certain areas in return for a cut in the property price value generated.

Tallaght becomes Upper Killiney. All the variations of Foxrock that could be used in west Dublin. Liffey Valley Shopping Centre might end up in Dalkey, and Dalkey be changed to Dalkey-on-Sea or sur Mer! Much of the north side of Cork city could be merged into Sunday's Well. Endless money making possibilities in many urban areas across the country.


Floater

PH01

I heard the account of this on the radio yesterday. Brilliant stuff! How Lawlor had the neck to keep coming back to the man for more money is beyond me.

This shows a seriously bad system of governance. Is this guy for real?

Btw, could you expand on this?

Originally posted by Floater

If addresses are so all important, An Post might be able to eliminate its losses this year by re-naming certain areas in return for a cut in the property price value generated.

i doubt if An Post per sé made anything out of it.
Some money may have changed hands at a council level to fast track the change.
But More likely Lawlor probably went to his fellow councillors , with a nudge, nudge wink , wink, i'll scrach yours later approach and then a few councillors persuaded the relevant section in An Post that the address change would be a good idea.
An Post have done it before, afaik Dublin 6w was created out of Public lobbying.
Of course a councillor and T.D getting paid vast sums of money to do this to benefit a developer, is cast iron corruption.

On another note, I see Judge Mahon had to announce to the tribunal yesterday that he had made a tax settlement with the revenue a number of years ago.
It was about to be published in phoenix magazine.

Jurors are usually asked pertinent questions about the subject they may be judging on before a case is started, so why wasn't Mr Mahon??

mm

star gazer

Btw, could you expand on this?
PH01

I see it as part of a culture of the day where the nod and wink , i'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine was endemic. it seems to me that if you wanted to do business in Dublin at the time, it was much more condusive to profit if you knew the right people. Pis* off the wrong people and you wouldn't get anywhere.
Bad governance stems from this more ad hoc approach. The plans and development of areas was undermined by people who had other priorities than doing the best they could for all their constituents.

Tallaght becomes Upper Killiney. All the variations of Foxrock that could be used in west Dublin. Liffey Valley Shopping Centre might end up in Dalkey, and Dalkey be changed to Dalkey-on-Sea or sur Mer! Much of the north side of Cork city could be merged into Sunday's Well. Endless money making possibilities in many urban areas across the country.
floater

and if the socialists had control it would be would be the other way around!

An Post would need the five grand levy on all houses just to show a profit. An example of how a monopoly should not be run.

On another note, I see Judge Mahon had to announce to the tribunal yesterday that he had made a tax settlement with the revenue a number of years ago.
man

It should be interesting, the next time he faces liam lawlor in cork, the sarcasm and criticism from lawlor will keep Mahon on his toes.