Frank Dunlop (journalist)

Frank Dunlop (born 9 October 1947) is an Irish lobbyist and former broadcast journalist with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). Originally from County Kilkenny, he was a key witness to the Mahon Tribunal which investigated improper payments by property developers to Irish politicians and will be a key witness in pending political corruption cases involving property developers and politicians to whom he paid bribes on their behalf.

He was appointed Press Secretary of the Fianna Fáil party in 1974, based at Leinster House. He was head of the Irish Government's Information Service and Government Press Secretary from 1977 to 1982, a position that had been established on Dunlop's recommendation. This role involved developing relationships with media outlets, including RTÉ, The Irish Times, Irish Independent amongst others. There were no other authorised radio stations in Ireland at this stage although there were quite a number of illegal broadcasters. The Government Information Service, prior to Dunlop's time, was the established unit of the Taoiseach's office for the dissemination of information relating to the activities of the Government. Dunlop described its role to The Mahon Tribunal in 2003, as being a 'post office' – "it just delivered copies of statements, speeches, announcements, CSO details to the news desks of newspapers; there was no substantive policy discussions with the media prior to that time".

The objective was to facilitate an understanding in the media of what Fianna Fáil was doing or was about at that time. This role enabled Dunlop to develop significant relationships with political correspondents, news reporters, editorial personnel and politicians.

Following a change in government, Dunlop was an established civil servant with the rank of Assistant Secretary. He moved to the Department of Education when Fine Gael politician John Boland was Minister and his role was liaison with the media. He made some inputs on policy matter on education.

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