Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
GV Wright arriving at the Mahon Tribunal in 2006 Graham Hughes/Photcall Ireland
Mahon
GV Wright and Don Lydon resign from Fianna Fáil
The resignations had been expected and are the fourth and fifth since the final report of the Mahon Tribunal. Only ex-councillor Finbarr Hanrahan now faces a motion of expulsion at Friday’s Ard Comhairle.
FORMER FIANNA FÁIL TD GV Wright and former councillor Don Lydon have resigned from the party this afternoon.
It follows the findings of the Mahon Tribunal last week and means that only ex-councillor Finbarr Hanrahan is currently the subject of a motion of expulsion at Fianna Fáil’s Ard Comhairle on Friday.
In its final report, the Tribunal said that Wright, a former TD for Dublin North and senator, was among councillors who received corrupt payments from the developers Monarch over the Cherrywood rezoning in south Dublin.
Wright, who vacated his Dáil seat in 2007, also received IR£10,000 from Dunlop and O’Callaghan, which the report found was a corrupt payment to “ensure” his “ongoing support” for the Quarryvale project.
Lydon, a former Dublin councillor and Fianna Fáil senator, was also found to have received corrupt payments from the Monarch property development firm as it lobbied for rezoning of lands at Cherrywood.
He was also found to have solicited a payment of IR£1,000 in 1991 over the Quarryvale development.
Their resignations bring to five the number who have resigned from Fianna Fáil over the Mahon Tribunal’s findings.
Yesterday the party received confirmation of the departures of former leader and taoiseach Bertie Ahern, former minister and EU commissioner Pádraig ‘Pee’ Flynn and former councillor John Hannon.
Fianna Fáil’s Ard Comhairle will still go ahead this Friday as planned to discuss recent events.
have your say