TD told farmer there was no need to pay tax

The Co Meath farmer at the centre of the Beverley Cooper Flynn libel case said the Mayo TD told him there was no need to pay tax to the government.

James Howard claims he clearly remembers meeting with Ms Cooper Flynn in the mid 1990s and admitted that he knew his NIB bank account was illegal.

He said he told her that he wanted to wipe the slate clean with the revenue commission when he heard of the tax amnesty.

Mr Howard said the Fianna Fail TD told him there was no need to give the government 15% and she said, "We don't do that, I won't do that".