The Fianna Fáil TD, Ms Beverley Flynn, will have to meet another substantial legal bill following a decision of the Supreme Court yesterday.
Already facing costs estimated at more than 2 million following her unsuccessful High Court libel action against RTÉ, the Co Mayo deputy was told yesterday she will have to pay the costs, which could be more than €100,000, of her unsuccessful Supreme Court appeal.
In the Supreme Court yesterday, counsel for RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird and farmer Mr James Howard - who was also a defendant in the action - formally applied for their costs of the appeal.
Counsel for Ms Flynn did not oppose the application. The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Keane, said both defendants were entitled to their costs of the appeal.
In 2001, Ms Flynn lost her 28-day libel action against RTÉ journalist Charlie Bird and Mr Howard.
She had alleged she was libelled in six RTÉ broadcasts in 1998 which reported that as an employee of National Irish Bank she had encouraged or assisted a number of persons in tax evasion.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court heard an appeal against the result of the High Court hearing.
In its reserved judgment on Wednesday, the five-judge Supreme Court unanimously rejected Ms Flynn's appeal.
Ms Flynn was not in court for yesterday's brief hearing.
