The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, last night stopped short of expressing his full backing for the Fianna Fail TD, Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn, who failed to win damages in her libel case against RTE and other defendants.
A High Court jury in Dublin yesterday found RTE had failed to prove the TD induced a retired farmer, Mr James Howard, to evade tax by ignoring the 1993 tax amnesty. But the jury found RTE had proved Ms Cooper-Flynn advised or encouraged other named persons to evade tax. The jury said that, in light of this finding, Ms Cooper-Flynn's reputation had not suffered material injury, and it awarded no damages.
The Taoiseach, speaking at the EU summit in Stockholm, said the implications of the finding were not yet clear and he had not had a chance to study it. "I will be studying it, the Government will be studying it and the party will be studying it." Mr Ahern said Ms Cooper-Flynn had "indicated strongly" she would appeal.
However, the leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, said the jury's findings had the most serious consequences for Ms Cooper-Flynn. He said she should consider her position as a member of the Dail.
Fine Gael's deputy finance spokesman, Mr Paul McGrath, said Mr Ahern had to consider if it was appropriate for Ms Cooper-Flynn to remain a member of the Public Accounts Committee.
Mr Ahern, when asked if he was happy to share a parliamentary party with a person who had been judged to encourage people to evade tax, said he did not wish to comment until it became clear whether an appeal would go ahead.