Lawlor funeral to go ahead tomorrow

The funeral of former Fianna Fáil TD Liam Lawlor, who died in a car crash in Moscow, is to take place tomorrow.

Mr Lawlor, who spent time in prison for refusing to comply with the Planning Tribunal, died in a car crash in the Russian capital on Saturday morning.

The removal will take place tomorrow morning to St Patrick’s Church, Esker, near Lucan in Co Dublin, for midday mass.

The funeral of Mr Lawlor will take place immediately afterwards at Esker Cemetery.

The controversial former Dublin West TD was jailed three times for refusing to comply with the Planning Tribunal into corruption.

Niall Lawlor, the son of the ex-TD, denounced reports in some Sunday newspapers that Mr Lawlor may have been with a prostitute when he died in the car crash.

The family have attacked the allegations as inaccurate and vindictive.

It emerged that Mr Lawlor and the driver of the car were killed as they travelled from the Russian capital’s airport, while a female Ukrainian interpreter in the vehicle was injured.

In the aftermath of the reports, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell said he wants to see the introduction of an independent press council with statutory recognition as part of a proposed defamation bill due to be published early next year.

Mr Lawlor, who was a Dublin West TD for more than 20 years, is survived by his wife Hazel and children Niall, Ciara, Shane and Gerald.