Re: Re: The Park, Carrickmines

FF removes ‘bribes’ councillor from ticket

Conor McMorrow

A Dublin councillor who was named in court as a beneficiary of bribes from former government press secretary Frank Dunlop will not be running for Fianna Fáil in next month’s local elections.

Tony Fox has been taken off the party ticket in the Dundrum ward for Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council by strategists in party headquarters.

It is widely believed that Fox would have been re-elected as he has a strong reputation as a dedicated worker in the area. This is despite being named in court proceedings last November when Dunlop app eared at Dublin District court to face corruption charges.

A Fianna Fáil spokeswoman said: “Tony Fox hasn’t been selected to represent the party on this occasion.” The names on the party ticket in Dundrum are Councillor Trevor Matthews, Tony Kelly and Aoife Brennan, daughter of the late Séamus.

Brennan (30) is set to follow her father’s footsteps into politics with her bid to get elected to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council where she already works in a customer relations role.

Fox was not available for comment on his political future when contacted by the Sunday Tribune.

Dunlop has pleaded guilty to the charges of making corrupt payments to a number of members of Dublin City Council and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county council between 1992 and 1997.

A CAB detective told Judge Cormac Dunne during an initial hearing last November that Dunlop had told gardaí on the day he was charged: “We always knew this day was coming and I will not be contesting the charges.”

Fox was named in five of the 16 charges along with Seán Gilbride, Jack Larkin, Cyril Gallagher, Tom Hand, Don Lydon, Colm McGrath, and Liam Cosgrave.

Dunlop’s sentencing hearing is expected to take place on 18 May, ahead of the local elections on 5 June.

May 3, 2009