FF to discuss removing whip from Cooper-Flynn

The Fianna Fáil parliamentary party is due to meet tonight to discuss whether to remove the party whip from Mayo TD Beverley Cooper-Flynn.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has vowed to seek such a measure following the rejection of Ms Cooper-Flynn’s Supreme Court appeal against the failure of her 2001 High Court libel action.

The Supreme Court agreed with the High Court jury’s ruling that the Fianna Fáil TD encouraged investors to evade tax while she worked for National Irish Bank.

Ms Cooper-Flynn resigned from Fianna Fáil after the High Court case, but she was readmitted to the party ahead of the 2002 general election pending the outcome of her Supreme Court appeal.