A taxation expert told the High Court today that the CMI Personal Portfolio's which Fianna Fáil TD Beverly-Cooper Flynn was selling in 1991 were fully in accordance with taxation legislation at the time.
As expert witness in the libel case in which Ms Cooper-Flynn alleges she was libelled in reports broadcast by RTÉ, Mr Aidan McLaughlin told the High Court that there was no breach in revenue law in the product she was selling.
Mr McLaughlin also told the Court that the product in question wasn't any better than any other product if a purchaser of the product intended to launder money and that, in fact it would have been "a relatively poor product" if that was the intention.
Mt McLaughlin also suggested that Ms Cooper-Flynn would not have been in a position to offer full tax advice to clients and that, as a salesperson for the product all she would be qualified to do would be to point out the different tax features related to the product.
Ms Cooper-Flynn from Westport Road, Castlebar, Co Mayo is suing RTÉ journalist Mr Charlie Bird; and retired farmer Mr Howard of Wheaton Hall, Drogheda, Co Louth.
She claims she was libelled in broadcasts on RTÉ between June 19th 1998 and July 1st 1998 and that words used on the programme claimed she had instigated a scheme, the object of which was the evasion of the lawful payment of tax.