Following is an excerpt from the interview with Mr Hugh O'Flaherty by Ursula Halligan on TV3
Q. What precisely was said to you that night [the October 1998 meeting with Philip Sheedy's sister and a family friend]. . What precisely did they say to you that moved you so much to take the actions that you did?
A. Well, it wasn't a question of being moved. It just seemed to make sense that something should be done about it. The man had got four years' imprisonment. He'd been promised a review after two. The review had disappeared out of the place, and he was now serving four years. So it seems as a matter of simple justice that something should have been be done. He could have been advised to go back in, get an extension of time and bring the matter to court of criminal appeal.
Q. But I'm asking you now, is there anything you can tell the people of Ireland to dispel the enduring suspicion they have that something untoward happened in the Sheedy case?
A. Well, on my part, I can only speak for myself, I can only lay it on the line as I have done before, and say that if someone makes up his or her mind that a person is at fault, it follows that there's a law of nature that says, whatever explanation you give . . if you were to quote the Sermon of the Mount: "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall inherit the earth," the question would follow from that: well, does that mean only the peacemakers are to inherit the earth? If you want to put someone on the run you can keep him there.
Q. But what I'm saying to you is. . .
A. And the second law of nature is that no matter what explanation you give it's going to be rubbished.
Q. Were you surprised by the Taoiseach's interview yesterday? [Tuesday]
A. Well, I thought he gave a very human interview. He said some very kind things about me that I don't think anybody else has said recently - many public figures said other things. But I was moved by that, yes. He was pressed by Mr Dunphy as to, pressed robustly and to a great extent, about whether I should give an interview and he suggested I should in due course, in the fullness of time. I can't see that there's anything wrong with that.
Q: Were you surprised by his call yesterday to give an interview?
A. Well, I would be surprised if there was anything that I had to hide about the thing. My tale is a simple one, whether it's accepted or not I can't say.
Q. Can I just move along, Mr O'Flaherty; could I just ask you did you canvass for the European Investment Bank job?
Q: Did any of your friends canvass politicians, members of the Government, for you to get the job?
A. I have no idea, I did not myself canvass, I did not ask anybody for the job.
Q: But are you aware that maybe friends sympathetic to your plight. . .
A. Well, of course, people must have . . this must have been a cause of concern for people as to whether I should be offered it, or whatever.
Q. Would you chuck it all in now, given the media reaction that you've got, the public, the media, the political storm you've caused?
A. Well, isn't that a form of surrender? Do you give in to every idle word? I don't know.
Q. Have you considered giving in?
Q. So you're still going to take this job?
A. Yes I am. Well, subject to what the Government has to say about it. And the Supreme Court, if may be.
Q. Has it been tough on your wife and children?
How tough?
A. Very tough.
Q. If there was one single thing that you could undo in the last year and a half, what would it be?
A. Undo? Well, I suppose with the wisdom of hindsight, I wouldn't have done anything, but I mean there are a whole lot of other situations . .
Q. You wouldn't have done anything in the Sheedy case?
A. . . .I wouldn't have done anything in a whole lot of other situations as well, if it had untoward consequences such as this produced.