The incoming chairman of the Dail's Public Accounts Committee has called on the Taoiseach and the Tanaiste to "act swiftly" in removing Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn from the finance watchdog committee.
Fine Gael TD Mr Michael Finucane said the fact that a jury found Ms Cooper-Flynn had advised or encouraged people to evade tax made it a more serious matter for the Government than the position of Mr Ned O'Keeffe, the former Minister of State for Agriculture.
He said Mr Ahern and Ms Harney should address the issue as soon as possible. "Let's not have the usual long-drawn-out process. This is extremely important for the PAC," said Mr Finucane, who is to take over the position of committee chairman from Mr Jim Mitchell early next month. "This is a lot different to the Ned O'Keeffe thing in terms of what the PDs have always stood for. In that context, listening to what the Taoiseach said on Friday, he did not appear to be coming out in fulsome tribute of Beverley. He was in fact extremely cautious and trying to distance himself," Mr Finucane said.
According to Fianna Fail sources, Ms Cooper-Flynn is expected to step down from the PAC without any pressure necessary from the party. The Mayo TD is expected to meet the Government chief whip, Mr Seamus Brennan, to discuss the issue over the coming days.
Mr Finucance said it would be contradictory of the PDs not to take action over Ms Cooper-Flynn's position on the PAC.
"The committee itself, as far as the general public is concerned, has covered itself in a lot of respect. In recognition of this I would be most surprised and amazed if the Taoiseach and Mary Harney did not act swiftly in replacing Beverley on the PAC."
A PD spokesman yesterday said the jury's verdict had raised concerns within the party. However, he refused to elaborate on whether this related only to Ms Cooper-Flynn's membership of the PAC or to her position as a member of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party.
On Friday Mr Ahern stopped short of expressing his full backing for Ms Cooper-Flynn after she failed to win damages in her libel case against RTE and other defendants.
The High Court jury had found RTE had failed to prove that Ms Cooper-Flynn induced Mr James Howard, a retired farmer, to evade tax by ignoring the 1993 tax amnesty.
Mr Ahern said he would be studying the judgment closely and said Ms Cooper-Flynn was considering an appeal.
The issue of costs in the marathon case will be decided by Mr Justice Morris next Monday. It has been speculated the legal bill in the case could be close to £1.5 million but that Ms Cooper-Flynn was likely to pay only a fraction of her own costs because of a prior arrangement with her legal team.