Flynn has fallen far since heyday

How Pádraig Flynn must rue his arrogant dismissal on The Late Late Show of Tom Gilmartin’s corruption allegations as those of a man “not well” and “out of sorts”.

It was Jan 1999 when Mr Flynn, then Ireland’s EU commissioner, appeared on the programme.

The allegation that he had received a £50,000 donation intended for Fianna Fáil from Mr Gilmartin was already known by that stage.