Former minister of State Mr Ned O'Keeffe is expected next week to condemn the proposal to suspend him from the Dáil for failing to fully declare his farming interests last year.
The Opposition-controlled Dáil Members Interests Committee yesterday recommended that the Cork East TD be suspended with pay for 10 sitting days, or until the Dáil dissolves.
The decision was taken following the Standards in Public Offices Commission's ruling that he had failed to reveal that his family farm was licensed to feed meat-and-bone meal to pigs during a debate on the issue.
The committee heard a petition from Mr O'Keeffe's legal team at the first of three meetings during the course of the day.
They argued that he had suffered a great penalty already by having had to resign as the minister of State for agriculture and food in February 2001 following the controversy.
In a brief statement last night, Mr O'Keeffe said he had wanted yesterday's meetings to be held in public.
"It was the Committee's decision to hold it in private. I have nothing whatsoever to hide."
"I have nothing further to say at this time but I intend to make a detailed and comprehensive statement in the Dáil next week covering all aspects in the fullest detail."
He will get 20 minutes for a speech during a proposed one-hour debate.
This is unless fellow Fianna Fáil TDs can persuade him to let the suspension recommendation pass without debate, but this is unlikely.
He is believed to be unhappy that an Opposition-controlled committee has chosen to suspend him so close to an election. Following his resignation, Mr O'Keeffe claimed that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern had reneged on a deal made before Christmas 2000 to transfer him into another government department.
The loss of the Cork East TD should not create voting difficulties for the Government, since the suspension would not come into place until after the key Finance Bill is passed on Thursday next.
In addition, the Government's should recover one vote since Dublin West TD, Mr Liam Lawlor is due to be back following his release from a month's jail sentence in Mountjoy next Tuesday.
Following the legal submissions, the five-strong committee held two further meetings before deciding unanimously on the recommendation which will effectively keep Mr O'Keeffe suspended for the rest of the Dáil's life.
The penalty is four days shorter than the one received by Fianna Fail Kerry North TD, Mr Denis Foley, who failed to reveal that he was an Ansbacher accountholder even though he was a member of the Dáil's DIRT inquiry.
The O'Keeffe suspension recommendation is the first time TDs have had to decide on a penalty for a colleague, following a ruling from the Standards in Public Offices Commission.
The Foley case was different because the Members Interests Committee both investigated his failure to declare his conflict of interest, and decided on the penalty he should receive.
Fianna Fail Clare TD, Mr Tony Killeen, chairs the committee. The other members are Mr Brendan Smith (Fianna Fail), Labour's Mr Brendan Howlin and Mr Jim O'Keeffe and Mr John Browne from Fine Gael.
