Cosgrave resignation ends his career in FG

The former Fine Gael senator and TD, Mr Liam Cosgrave, has resigned from the party in the wake of giving evidence to the Flood tribunal. His departure ends a long family tradition in Fine Gael, and a career in the party marked by constant struggles for election.

Mr Cosgrave's relations with the party and its then leader, Mr John Bruton, became strained over the findings of an internal party inquiry in 2000 into political donations. It emerged at the Flood tribunal last month that he misled that internal inquiry.

On Tuesday night the Fine Gael executive council referred his evidence to its disciplinary committee. The party had been concerned about information he gave to its inquiry and about statutory returns he made.

The examination will not proceed following his resignation. Mr Cosgrave did not return calls yesterday. A senator or TD for more than 20 years, he failed in his attempt to win a Dáil seat in the general election last year.

In a statement, the Fine Gael leader, Mr Enda Kenny, said Mr Cosgrave had informed him of his resignation, with immediate effect. Mr Kenny made no other comment. The departure of Mr Cosgrave ends three generations of family service to Fine Gael, stretching back to the foundation of the State.

His grandfather, W.T. Cosgrave, was leader of Cumann na nGaedhal, Fine Gael's precursor, and the first president of the executive council in the 1922-1932 period. His father, Mr Liam Cosgrave snr, was a leader of Fine Gael and Taoiseach from 1973 until 1977. Mr Cosgrave (47), remains a member of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. He first became a councillor in 1979 and was a TD from 1981 until 1987. He was elected to the Seanad in 1989 and was Cathaoirleach of the Seanad in 1996-1997.

Before the general election last year, Mr Cosgrave accused Fine Gael of trying to erase the family name when it added a third candidate to the ticket.

He had described the party's inquiry in 2000 as "sloppy" and "sinister".

The report of the inquiry, chaired by Mr James Nugent SC, said it was unable to come to a definitive conclusion about payments Mr Cosgrave had received.

Mr Cosgrave vigorously defended his reputation, accusing his party of causing him possibly irreparable political damage through what he called a flawed and unfair report. In a letter to Mr Bruton in 2000, he said he was "astonished" by the inquiry's conclusions and claimed they amounted to a "gross defamation of my character, a situation which has been considerably exacerbated by your personal remarks concerning me".

Mr Nugent said he rejected every allegation made by Mr Cosgrave about the manner in which the inquiry was conducted and the contents of its report. It emerged at the tribunal last month that Mr Cosgrave had received more than £7,000 in election payments and other payments from former lobbyist Mr Frank Dunlop. This contrasted with the sum of £3,000 to £3,500 which he declared to the Fine Gael inquiry.

Mr Cosgrave also acknowledged undeclared payments of £1,000 and £2,500 to the tribunal for the first time last month. In addition, the tribunal revealed that Mr Cosgrave had failed to declare the £2,500 donation under ethics legislation.

He denies receiving any bribes and has said he failed to disclose payments because he had forgotten or underestimated them.