Charlie Bird to be cross-examined in Cooper Flynn case

RTE chief news reporter Charlie Bird is expected to be cross-examined today in the libel case being taken against the station by Beverly Cooper-Flynn.

Yesterday the court was told that the Mayo TD declined an offer to respond to the allegations when they were first broadcast on June 28 1998.

She issued a written statement within two hours of the broadcast denying the allegations.

The court was told yesterday that RTE reporter Charlie Bird spoke to several interviewees who claimed they invested in a CMI offshore scheme through Ms Cooper-Flynn.

Mr Bird told the court that he telephoned Ms Cooper-Flynn on several occasion to seek a response from her. He said this was a common sense approach as it gave her the right to reply to the allegations.