Beverley Flynn
Encyclopedia
Beverley Flynn is a former Irish Fianna Fáil
politician. She served as a Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Mayo constituency
from 1997–2011.
, who once famously described her as a "class act". She first stood for election in the June 1994 Mayo West by-election as the Fianna Fáil candidate, but was not successful. The by-election was caused by the appointment of her father Pádraig Flynn as European Commissioner
, and was won by Michael Ring
of Fine Gael
. She was first elected to Dáil Éireann
at the 1997 general election
, as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála
(TD) for the Mayo constituency.
In 2003, given that her marriage to John Cooper had ended sometime previously, she requested that the media refer to her as Beverley Flynn.
journalist Charlie Bird
claimed in a report that while an employee of National Irish Bank
Flynn had assisted clients of the bank in evading tax
by funnelling undeclared income to Clerical Medical
schemes based in the Isle of Man
. Flynn denied the claims and sued RTÉ, Bird and retired farmer James Howard for libel in the High Court in 2001. The jury found that although RTÉ had not proved its case (it was a different employee that had handled Howard's account), the allegations were found to be substantially true (that RTÉ had proved Flynn had encouraged others to avail of illegal investment schemes). Thus, despite Flynn technically winning the case, she was awarded no damages (as her reputation was not materially damaged), along with costs being awarded against her. Flynn then appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of Ireland, where she lost.
action against her opened in the High Court in June 2007, her lawyers were granted a postponement to allow her to challenge the constitutionality of legislation which bars bankrupts from Dáil membership. Lawyers for RTÉ accused Flynn of embarking on a "litigious frolic in her own interest". She subsequently abandoned plans to challenge the legislation.
On 24 June 2007, Flynn announced that she had reached a final settlement with RTÉ, with Flynn paying €1.24 million of the outstanding €2.4 million The settlement created a major outcry from the public, the print media and by some TDs as RTÉ, Ireland's public service broadcaster, is part-funded by a television License fee. The then Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
'rejected as "contemptuous" and "sinister" any implication that he was involved in the settlement [between Flynn and RTÉ].' Ahern issued the denial after allegations made by Fine Gael
and the Labour Party
that RTÉ bowed to pressure from him to reach a settlement with Flynn. RTÉ also denied this took place.
. She was expelled again in May 2004 after the results of her libel case were made public. A cumann
(branch) of the Fianna Fáil party that had continued to support Flynn was disbanded by the party headquarters, a first for Fianna Fáil. She successfully contested the 2007 general election as an independent where she was elected on the eighth count. She was readmitted to the Fianna Fáil party at a meeting of its national executive on 3 April 2008 in what some have described as "questionable circumstances."
She responded that, in addition to her €106,000 basic salary, she qualified for the €41,000 allowance as she won her seat as an independent TD. After meeting with the Taoiseach Brian Cowen
on 6 January 2009, she stated that she would no longer claim the allowance. She also stated that the allowance was used to benefit her constituents.
She retired from politics at the 2011 general election.
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
politician. She served as a Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Mayo constituency
Mayo (Dáil Éireann constituency)
Mayo is a parliamentary constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament or Oireachtas. The constituency elects five deputies...
from 1997–2011.
Early life and political career
She is the daughter of former Fianna Fáil minister, Pádraig FlynnPadraig Flynn
Pádraig "Pee" Flynn is a former Irish politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála in 1977. He was returned at each subsequent election until 1993...
, who once famously described her as a "class act". She first stood for election in the June 1994 Mayo West by-election as the Fianna Fáil candidate, but was not successful. The by-election was caused by the appointment of her father Pádraig Flynn as European Commissioner
European Commissioner
A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. Each Member within the college holds a specific portfolio and are led by the President of the European Commission...
, and was won by Michael Ring
Michael Ring
Michael Ring is an Irish Fine Gael politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Mayo constituency since June 1994, and is the current Minister of State for Tourism and Sport....
of Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
. She was first elected to Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
at the 1997 general election
Irish general election, 1997
The Irish general election of 1997 was held on Friday, 6 June 1997. The 166 newly elected members of the 28th Dáil assembled on 26 June 1997 when a new Taoiseach and government were appointed....
, as a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála
Teachta Dála
A Teachta Dála , usually abbreviated as TD in English, is a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas . It is the equivalent of terms such as "Member of Parliament" or "deputy" used in other states. The official translation of the term is "Deputy to the Dáil", though a more literal...
(TD) for the Mayo constituency.
In 2003, given that her marriage to John Cooper had ended sometime previously, she requested that the media refer to her as Beverley Flynn.
Libel action
RTÉRaidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
journalist Charlie Bird
Charlie Bird
Charles "Charlie" Bird is an Irish journalist and broadcaster. He was Chief News Correspondent with RTÉ News and Current Affairs until January 2009. He took up the role of Washington Correspondent, but prematurely returned to his earlier post in Ireland in June 2010.-Early life:Bird was born in...
claimed in a report that while an employee of National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank
National Irish Bank is a commercial bank in Ireland, one of the traditional Big Four. In December 2004 Danske Bank agreed to purchase National Irish Bank from the National Australia Bank for GB£967m ....
Flynn had assisted clients of the bank in evading tax
Tax avoidance and tax evasion
Tax noncompliance describes a range of activities that are unfavorable to a state's tax system. These include tax avoidance, which refers to reducing taxes by legal means, and tax evasion which refers to the criminal non-payment of tax liabilities....
by funnelling undeclared income to Clerical Medical
Clerical Medical
Clerical Medical is a British life insurance, pensions and investments company founded in 1824.In 1824, Dr George Pinckard formed a committee of physicians and members of the clergy which published a pamphlet called 'Prospectus for the Establishment of a new Assurance Office with Improved...
schemes based in the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. Flynn denied the claims and sued RTÉ, Bird and retired farmer James Howard for libel in the High Court in 2001. The jury found that although RTÉ had not proved its case (it was a different employee that had handled Howard's account), the allegations were found to be substantially true (that RTÉ had proved Flynn had encouraged others to avail of illegal investment schemes). Thus, despite Flynn technically winning the case, she was awarded no damages (as her reputation was not materially damaged), along with costs being awarded against her. Flynn then appealed the decision to the Supreme Court of Ireland, where she lost.
Delay in paying costs
Flynn at first offered to settle with RTÉ for €590,000. RTÉ rejected this and moved to have her declared bankrupt. When the bankruptcyBankruptcy in the Republic of Ireland
Bankruptcy in Irish Law is a legal process, supervised by the High Court whereby the assets of a personal debtor are realised and distributed amongst his or her creditors in cases where the debtor is unable or unwilling to pay his debts....
action against her opened in the High Court in June 2007, her lawyers were granted a postponement to allow her to challenge the constitutionality of legislation which bars bankrupts from Dáil membership. Lawyers for RTÉ accused Flynn of embarking on a "litigious frolic in her own interest". She subsequently abandoned plans to challenge the legislation.
On 24 June 2007, Flynn announced that she had reached a final settlement with RTÉ, with Flynn paying €1.24 million of the outstanding €2.4 million The settlement created a major outcry from the public, the print media and by some TDs as RTÉ, Ireland's public service broadcaster, is part-funded by a television License fee. The then Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
'rejected as "contemptuous" and "sinister" any implication that he was involved in the settlement [between Flynn and RTÉ].' Ahern issued the denial after allegations made by Fine Gael
Fine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
and the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
that RTÉ bowed to pressure from him to reach a settlement with Flynn. RTÉ also denied this took place.
Relationship with Fianna Fáil
Flynn has had a difficult relationship with Fianna Fáil. She was forced to resign from the party in February 1999 because of the allegations against her but rejoined in November 1999. In April 2001, she was expelled from the party but was allowed to rejoin Fianna Fáil again before the 2002 general electionIrish general election, 2002
The Irish general election of 2002 was held on Friday, 17 May 2002 just over three weeks after the dissolution of the 28th Dáil on Thursday 25 April by President Mary McAleese, at the request of the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern...
. She was expelled again in May 2004 after the results of her libel case were made public. A cumann
Cumann
A cumann is the lowest local unit or branch of a number of Irish political parties. The term cumann may also be used to describe a non-political association....
(branch) of the Fianna Fáil party that had continued to support Flynn was disbanded by the party headquarters, a first for Fianna Fáil. She successfully contested the 2007 general election as an independent where she was elected on the eighth count. She was readmitted to the Fianna Fáil party at a meeting of its national executive on 3 April 2008 in what some have described as "questionable circumstances."
Independent TD allowance
Since she rejoined Fianna Fáil, controversy has arisen about Flynn's entitlement to a tax-free allowance available to independent TDs. This allowance is to allow independent TDs to compete with those who are from a political party on level terms for the duration of their term as an elected representative. However, upon her return to Fianna Fáil there were questions about whether or not she continued to qualify.She responded that, in addition to her €106,000 basic salary, she qualified for the €41,000 allowance as she won her seat as an independent TD. After meeting with the Taoiseach Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
on 6 January 2009, she stated that she would no longer claim the allowance. She also stated that the allowance was used to benefit her constituents.
She retired from politics at the 2011 general election.