Kennedy remanded on continuing bail
Businessman Jim Kennedy, who was last week charged with numerous counts of corrupt payments to politicians, was remanded on continuing bail today when he appeared at Cloverhill District Court.
On Friday evening last the 63-year-old father of 10 was brought before a late sitting of Dublin District Court accused of payments to politicians. The charges relate to the attempted rezoning of land owned by Jackson Way Properties at Carrickmines in 1992, and the successful rezoning of part of these lands in 1997.
On Friday, Kennedy, who faces 16 charges, had been remanded in custody with consent to bail of €30,000 in his own bond and with an independent surety of 450,000, to be lodged with the prison governor.
Bail was later been taken up by Kennedy, who appeared again today at Cloverhill District Court.
Dressed in a pin striped business suit, brown shoes and a purple tie, he remained silent during the brief proceedings to which he was accompanied by his wife Antoinette.
Judge Bridget Reilly heard that the defence was consenting to him being remanded on continuing bail to appear at the Dublin District Court on Thursday.
Three former Dublin City Councillors and one current member of Rathdown/Dun Laoghaire Council, are also due in court then to be served with books of evidence.
Kennedy's charges include allegations of payments to: former Dublin City Councillor Sean Gillbride, at the offices of former Government press secretary and lobbyist Frank Dunlop, in Upper Mount Street, Dublin 2, on June 11, 1992; former Dublin City Councillor Jack Larkin, at Conway's Public House, Parnell Street, Dublin; former Dublin City Councillor Tom Hand on May 4, 1992, at the reception area of Dublin County Council as well as former Dublin City Councillor Liam Cosgrave, on a date between June 12 and June 29, 1992.
As part of his bail terms he must reside at Apartment 5, Floor 4 of The Four Seasons Hotel, in Ballsbridge, in Dublin and sign on daily at Donnybrook Garda station.
Three former Dublin City Councillors and one current member of Rathdown/Dun Laoghaire Council, were also charged last Friday evening with receiving sums of money as an “inducement” or “reward” for voting for the rezoning of 108 acres of land in Carrickmines on dates in 1992 and 1997.
Sean Gillbride (aged 69) of 18 Greenlawns, Skerries, Dublin allegedly received a sum at the offices of Frank Dunlop on a date between June 11 and June 29, 1992.
Colm McGrath (aged 54), from Swiftford, Saggart, Dublin, allegedly received a sum at his office in Clondalkin, between June 12 and June 29, 1992.
Don Lydon (aged 82), of San Antonio, Stillorgan Park Avenue, Dublin, allegedly received a sum at St John of Gods in Dublin, on May 4, 1992.
Councillor Tony Fox (aged 70) of Mountainview Park, Churchtown, Dublin 14, allegedly received sums on October 30, 1997, as well as on a date between October 30, 1997 and December 25, 1997 and on a date between June 12 and June 29, 1992.
The DPP has directed “trial on indictment” in relation to these four defendants meaning their cases are to go before a judge and jury at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after they have been served with books of evidence.
