A former amusement arcade worker has said he paid a total of £5,500 in political donations to three politicians who lobbied for him on a planning matter.
Mr Jude Campion told the tribunal the politicians sought the money after he approached them about problems he and his father John experienced in acquiring a site for a fuel depot and filling station in Coolmine, Co Dublin. He did not name the individuals.
Answering questions from Mr George Redmond, representing himself, he said the payments were political contributions.
Mr Redmond the former assistant Dublin City and County manager pointed out that the three politicians had written to him on behalf of the Campions, and he had asked the chief engineer in the council to look at the matter again.
Mr Campion said individual A asked him for £2,500 and he gave this to him. He met individual B three times and that person said he might be able to help them. He initially asked for £10,000 but when Mr Campion said he didn't have that money, he reduced the amount sought to £5,000 and then said he would take £2,000.
Mr Campion said he gave this person £2,000 at their third meeting in the person's house.
"After that, he turned nasty. He refused to meet us and failed to return my calls." Individual C promised to find out why Mr Redmond was putting roadblocks in their way. He gave him £1,000 in an envelope, as requested.
Earlier, Mr Campion again accused Mr Redmond of "thwarting" his and his father's efforts to acquire the Coolmine site.
Asked how he knew this, he said council officials had told him.
Businessman Mr Jim Kennedy had told him to "pass over" £100,000 and he would get the permission, access from the road and everything he wanted.
Mr Redmond said the witness was alleging these events happened in 1990, when he had retired from the council. The witness said Mr Redmond still had power over council officials at this time. Mr Kennedy had told him this. "You trained a lot of people who could take your place," he said.
He repeated his evidence about meeting Mr Redmond at the offices of solicitor Mr Stephen Miley. At the time, Mr Campion and his father were taking legal action against the council, and Mr Miley was representing them.
Mr Redmond asked the witness whether his father was present when the alleged meeting took place. Mr Campion said his father had accompanied him on this day, even though he was ill.
Mr Redmond said this was the first time Mr Campion had given this evidence about the attendance of his father. He asked why the Campions hadn't changed their solicitor if they were unhappy about the incident.
Mr Campion said he had engaged Mr Miley because he was advised the solicitor's firm was expert in contract law. It would have been too difficult to find another lawyer so close to the court hearing.
The witness said he had no documentary evidence detailing his wages at the amusement arcade because he was paid in cash. He claimed Mr Kennedy was taking in £120,000 a week in cash from gaming at the arcade.
