‘No Coalition rows’ over Flynn consultancies

THE situation whereby former trade union leader Phil Flynn is still working as a consultant in relation to two State bodies has not led to any major rows or disagreements in Government, a senior Fianna Fáil Cabinet source said yesterday.

While expressing mild surprise that Mr Flynn was still being paid fees as an industrial relations consultant by the Labour Court, and in a dispute involving the (HSE) Health Services Executive and the Impact union, the source told the Irish Examiner that it has not led to any real friction between Coalition partners.

Mr Flynn was a business associate of Ted Cunningham, the Cork-based financial consultant who is being investigated by gardaí as part of a money laundering inquiry. It forms part of a wider investigation in the Republic, arising out of the Northern Bank Robbery last December.

It emerged yesterday that Mr Flynn has been engaged as a facilitator in an on-going dispute between the HSE and the public service trade union, Impact.

In addition, the Labour Court also recommended his appointment to a group seeking a settlement on a number of industrial relations matters between An Post and its unions.

The scale of the fees that have been paid to Mr Flynn by An Post and the HSE have not been disclosed.

When Mr Flynn’s business connections with Mr Cunningham emerged last February, Tánaiste Mary Harney was said to have sought his removal from the role.

However, Mr Flynn is understood to have successfully resisted the calls to have him removed.