Charlie Bird told the court yesterday he was not involved in any "cover-up" or conspiracy in relation to Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn when he was preparing the programme broadcast in June 1998.
He believed RTE had given her every opportunity to make her comments in relation to the programme. On his third day in the witness box, Mr Garrett Cooney SC, for the Co Mayo TD, questioned Mr Bird about attempts he made on June 18th, 1998, to contact Ms Cooper-Flynn. Mr Bird rejected a suggestion he was going to broadcast his report anyway.
Mr Cooney said Mr Howard had said in evidence Patricia Roche's name had been mentioned in his discussions with Mr Bird after it had been indicated in the Sunday Independent that another woman NIB official - not Ms Cooper-Flynn - sold Mr Howard the CMI policy. Mr Bird said Ms Roche's name had not come up in these discussions.
Mr Bird said he had received documents from Mr Howard in connection with his CMI portfolio but none with the signature of Patricia Roche. He had never seen any correspondence or documents bearing Ms Roche's name, although he had heard them read in court.
When Mr Cooney asked if those documents showed Ms Roche was the person who had dealt with "Mr Gogarty", there was laughter in court. Mr Bird said: "We're all here too long". Mr Bird agreed RTE had granted Mr Howard an indemnity in October 1998 covering any damages that might be awarded and his legal costs.
Mr Cooney suggested this turned Mr Howard from a co-defendant into a collaborator. Mr Bird said he rejected that with all the force he could muster. He also rejected that it had been agreed Mr Howard would hold to "the line" it was Ms Cooper-Flynn who sold him the CMI policy while RTE would continue to attempt to "dig up the dirt" on her.