Liam Lawlor is back in Mountjoy tonight, after being temporarily released to attend the debate on the motion of censure in Leinster House. The President of the High Court directed that Mr Lawlor be brought to the gates of Leinster House, and, as soon as the debate was concluded, taken from the gates of Leinster House back to prison.
Mr Justice Finnegan said that he would regard it as an abuse of the concession he had made if Mr Lawlor was to avail of facilities in Leinster House. In particular, he said that he was not to disport himself about facilities such as the bar and restaurant
He said that if there was any abuse of the conditions set down he would regard it as a very serious contempt. The judge said that Mr Lawlor was not in prison as an ordinary member of the prison population.
He said that Mr Lawlor was not a convicted person but was in prison for a procedural contempt, which, he said, was not to say that this was not a matter of the utmost seriousness. Amongst the matters he considered in deciding to release Mr Lawlor for the debate was the fact that he is an elected representative.
The all-party motion calls on Mr Lawlor to resign voluntarily from the House over his continued failure to co-operate with the Flood Tribunal. Yesterday, all the main parties reached agreement on the text of the motion. Mr Lawlor is serving 28 days in prison for failing to co-operate with the Flood Tribunal.
You can watch the Dáil debate in 28K RealVideo at www.rte.ie/news/2002/0207/dail.ram.
