Rabbitte presses Ahern to take action on Cooper-Flynn

The Taoiseach has not seen the Supreme Court judgment on the libel appeal case of Fianna Fáil TD, Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn, Mr Ahern told the Dáil as the Opposition pressed him about taking disciplinary action following yesterday's Court ruling.

He said the issue required discussion, but ruled out an immediate debate in the Dáil on the matter. Mr Ahern was pressed repeatedly by the Labour leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte who was consistently ruled out of order.

Demanding action, Mr Rabbitte said "it is my understanding that it has been established that a member of the House has been facilitating tax evasion. "The deputy is a member of the Taoiseach's party. What action does he propose to take now that the matter has been disposed of?"

When the Ceann Comhairle, Dr Rory O'Hanlon told him there were other ways of raising the issue, the Labour Leader said: "It is a matter of fundamental public interest that this House shows that it is concerned about issues like this. The matter has been finally disposed of." Asking if the Defamation Bill to reform libel laws would be brought before the Dáil in the near future, Mr Rabbitte called for the Taoiseach to "deal with the disciplinary matter that is calling out to be dealt with on his benches".

When Mr Rabbitte repeatedly asked "is the Taoiseach not going to respond to a matter that diminishes the House", the Ceann Comhairle said he would facilitate him raising the matter in another way, but he was not in keeping with the Standing Orders of the House this way.

Mr Rabbitte then asked if the Taoiseach would make time to discuss the matter "in the House in accordance with Standing Orders and the Chair's ruling".

Mr Ahern replied, in a low voice that "It is a matter that requires discussion. I have not yet seen the judgment and still have to look at it." When Mr Rabbitte said he had no idea what the Taoiseach said, and asked if he intended to make time available to discuss the issue in the House, Mr Ahern said: "No, I do not intend to do that today."

The Green Party leader, Mr Trevor Sargent, then took up the issue and said it was important that the Supreme Court ruling not be ignored. The Ceann Comhairle stressed that he was ignoring nothing but was obliged to implement Standing Orders.

Mr Sargent referred to the Civil Service Regulation Bill, and said that "the Civil Service has to work with Fianna Fáil, a party which has within its number somebody who has now been found not to be in favour of tax compliance, whatever about being tax compliant".