Dublin West TD Mr Liam Lawlor said last night he would clear his unpaid High Court fine of €12,700 before it becomes a jailing matter.
Mr Lawlor, who missed the first deadline for payment on Tuesday this week, faces daily interest payments on the outstanding amount until the final deadline of April 9th when he will then become liable for a month's imprisonment.
"I am dealing with it. The matter is already in the works. It will be discharged," he told The Irish Times.
He added: "I don't know what this is all about. The deadline as far as I'm concerned is April. It's only March yet."
The fine was imposed on Mr Lawlor by the High Court on February 1st at the same time that he was ordered to serve a further month in jail for his failure to fully comply with an order to provide information to the Flood tribunal.
It was his third prison sentence and third fine. He has already had to pay over €19,000 in fines.
The Courts Service confirmed last night that it had not received the most recent payment.
"The order required that it be paid by March 12th 2002. The Courts Service can still accept payment of the fine, but with daily interest added, up until April 9th 2002. The order further states that failure to pay before this date, if such an issue arises, may result in commital to prison for one month," said a spokesman.
Interest will be charged daily at an annual rate of 8 per cent, roughly twice the average bank loan rate.
Mr Lawlor's solicitor, Mr Dermot P. Coyne, said his client had been extremely busy since coming out of prison last week.
"It's not out of discourtesy or ignorance or disregard for the courts that he hasn't paid.
"A lot of work has been done on the discovery order since he came out of prison.
"He's been giving that his undivided attention."
Mr Coyne said he "absolutely" believed the deputy would pay the fine on time.
"He knows when it should have been paid, he knows when it will attract interest and he knows when he will be in trouble. He knows all about it."