Submissions about who will pay the costs of the recent libel action taken by Mayo Fianna Fail TD Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn will be made at the High Court tomorrow. Ms Cooper-Flynn (34) had sued RTE; journalist Charlie Bird and retired farmer Mr James Howard. Total costs have been estimated between £1.5 million and £2.3 million. Much will depend on what arrangements Ms Cooper-Flynn had with her legal team on costs.
When the hearing began before the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Morris, and a jury on February 6th last, lawyers forecast it would last about two weeks. In fact, it went on for 28 days. In addition to the costs of the hearing, other charges were incurred on pre-trial hearings and discovery applications.
On March 23rd, the jury decided that Ms Cooper-Flynn's reputation had not suffered material injury because of broadcasts on RTE in June and July 1998. The jury decided the defendants had proved she had advised or encouraged a number of persons referred to in evidence during the trial to evade tax.
The jury also found the defendants had not proved that Ms Cooper-Flynn had induced Mr Howard to evade tax.