Mayo TD Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn told the High Court today she could say with "absolute certainty" she did not sell a personal investment portfolio to Mr James Howard.
She said when the person who did sell it gave evidence it would become clear to the court what had happened. She said throughout the afternoon she had never met Mr Howard or his daughter.
Ms Cooper-Flynn was answering questions from Mr Michael O’Higgins SC, counsel for retired farmer Mr Howard, about the CMI investment portfolio that retired Mr Howard alleges she sold him in 1993.
The court heard that Mr Howard made a complaint to National Irish Bank about Ms Cooper-Flynn two months before he gave an anonymous interview to RTÉ claiming she told him there was no need to avail of the tax amnesty in 1993.
The TD claims she was libelled in RTÉ broadcasts concerning her and the sale of investment products.
Mr O’Higgins said in his evidence Mr Howard would state also with "absolute certainty" that Ms Cooper-Flynn had sold him the portfolio and that she called to his house and had a meeting with him in the Balbriggan branch of National Irish Bank (NIB) to complete the transaction.
Ms Cooper-Flynn said she only discovered Mr Howard’s identity after the first broadcast on June 19th 1998 through contacts in the NIB and after speaking with journalist Mr Jody Corcoran.
She insisted she had never met him and told the court the bank told her it had no records to connect Mr Howard to her.
Mr O’Higgins read from a memo from the bank manager at Balbriggan, Mr Padraig Faughan, sent to his regional manager in 1998 stating that Mr Howard had complained about Ms Cooper-Flynn and the manner in which she had dealt with his investment.
The Mayo TD said she had no idea why Mr Howard complained about her and the bank had not informed her about the complaint. She said the first she heard about it was after the first broadcast.
Mr Howard claims he was sold a CMI product by Ms Cooper-Flynn who he alleges knew the money he was talking about was not declared to the Revenue Commissioners.
She strongly denies that this meeting ever took place or that Mr Howard was ever referred to her as a potential customer.
The trial continues tomorrow.