Lawlor to decide whether to appeal today

Dublin west TD Liam Lawlor has said he will decide shortly whether to appeal his latest jail sentence to the Supreme Court.

The embattled deputy is due to begin a 28-day stretch in Mountjoy Prison tomorrow after the High Court ruled last Friday that he is still not fully co-operating with the Flood Tribunal.

When Mr Lawlor was jailed for seven days for the second time last July, he appealed the sentence to the Supreme Court, but he told RTE this morning that he is still undecided about whether he should appeal this time.

If the appeal failed, the Supreme Court could increase Mr Lawlor’s sentence and the €12,700 fine that was also handed down last week.

In today’s interview, Mr Lawlor said he will meet his legal representatives this morning to discuss the pros and cons of an appeal. He also continued to insist that he has handed over documents pertaining to all the bank accounts and financial transactions he can recollect.

The disgraced TD said he is committed to filing a final affidavit at the beginning of April, as ordered by the court. He accused the media of sensationalism in its treatment of the story and said the publicity generated by his courtroom ordeals and stints in Mountjoy is "horrific" for his family.