Mayo TD Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn refused to accept a list of allegations from journalist Mr Charlie Bird prior to the RTÉ broadcasts she claims libelled her, the High Court heard today.
Ms Cooper-Flynn told the court she refused to accept the list as Mr Bird refused to tell her during a phone conversation who was making the allegations against her. She said she thought it was "unreasonable" of RTÉ to broadcast programmes based on "anonymous allegations".
She said she told Mr Bird, whom she alleges told her the broadcasts would be aired regardless, to "do what you have to do and I'll do what I have to do".
The Mayo TD is currently suing RTÉ for libel after it broadcast a series of five television programmes and one radio broadcast between June 19th 1998 and July 1st 1998, which alleged Ms Cooper-Flynn's involvement in tax-evasion while working as a financial advisor for National Irish Bank.
Counsel for RTÉ Mr Kevin Feeney SC, however, suggested that Mr Bird had given Ms Cooper-Flynn ample opportunity to reply to his allegations and had driven to and waited for two hours in a Cavan hotel to meet her.
The Mayo TD denied she had ever met the subject of one of the broadcasts, an alleged former client of Ms Cooper-Flynn's, retired farmer Mr James Howard, whom she is also suing for libel.
She claimed Mr Howard was sold his CMI investment policy by another former NIB employee. Ms Cooper-Flynn said that although she had hoped the woman in question would come forward, she did not think it appropriate to contact her.
Mr Feeney put it to Ms Cooper-Flynn that it was "a bit rich" of her to criticise RTÉ's inquiry into her affairs, when she would not make a single phone call to the woman to establish the facts in her own defence.
The case continues tomorrow.