Lawlor lashes media as Government motion passed

The Dail last night voted by 79 votes to 72 to back a Government motion calling on Liam Lawlor to resign his Dublin West seat if he fails to co-operate with the Flood Tribunal.

During the debate, Deputy Lawlor apologized to Justice Fergus Flood for his behaviour at the tribunal.

However, he also launched a stinging attack on the print media for its coverage of his seven days in Mountjoy jail on a contempt of court conviction.

He accused newspapers of aiming a torrent of personal abuse at him and of unjustly labelling the country's prison system as an "AIDS-infested cesspool of degenerates".

However, the Government defeated an opposition amendment to the motion calling for Deputy Lawlor to quit immediately.