Cooper-Flynn legal action against RTE today

Legal action by Mayo TD Beverly Cooper-Flynn against RTE reporter Charlie Bird gets underway today at the High Court.

The Fianna Fail deputy claims she was libelled in an RTE broadcast which implied she sold investment plans that helped clients to evade income tax.

The complaint relates to an RTE investigation in the role of National Irish Bank in alleged tax evasion schemes.

Mr Bird conducted an interview with James Howard, a retired farmer during which Mrs Cooper-Flynn insists it was implied she had advised Mr Howard to avoid tax by investing money in a particular way.

RTE has indicated in a previous case that it intends to call 65 witnesses who invested money with Mrs Cooper-Flynn through a company called Clerical Medical Insurance.

The case is scheduled to begin at 11am.