Phil Flynn
Encyclopedia
Philip "Phil" Flynn is an Irish businessman. He was previously a vice-president of Sinn Féin
, a trade unionist, an industrial relations consultant, a government advisor and a financier. He was the eldest of five children of a nationalist mother and Fine Gael
father.
He joined Sinn Féin at the age of 14 and lent support to some of those involved in the IRA Border campaign
of the 1950s. He was taken in for police questioning on a number of occasions owing to his political activities. In 1974, he was tried with IRA membership, but acquitted, by the Special Criminal Court
. During the trial, the state alleged that he was IRA Director of Finance. In Liverpool
, he was arrested and held for three days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act
. In 1975, he came to public prominence when he acted as a mediator in the Tiede Herrema
kidnap siege.
In 1984, he was elected general secretary of the Local Government and Public Services Union. His election caused problems for the Fine Gael-Labour administration as Flynn was also vice-president of Sinn Féin and as such, government officials and ministers refused to talk to him. Shortly after, he was elected to the executive of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
(ICTU). In the same year, he stepped down as Sinn Féin vice-president, telling the party's Ard fheis
that his experience and support would always be available to the movement.
In 1987, he was reported to have resigned from Sinn Féin. From 1993 to 1995, he was president of ICTU, representing the Irish Municipal Public and Civil Trade Union. In 1996, he was appointed chairman of the Industrial Credit Corporation (ICC) by Ruairi Quinn
. ICC was subsequently acquired by the Bank of Scotland
in 2001.
In February 2005, Flynn's office was raided by officers of the Criminal Assets Bureau
(CAB) as part of an investigation into alleged IRA money-laundering. Flynn was a non-executive directors Chesterton Finance Company Ltd, a company at the centre of the CAB investigation. As a result, he resigned as chairman of the Irish Government committee on decentralisation, as non-executive chairman of Bank of Scotland (Ireland)
and as director of the VHI. During the search of his officers, Flynn was found to be the illegal possession of a pen gun and mini tear gas canisters. At related court hearing In December 2005, he admitted to possession and agreed to pay €5,000 to a charity.
Ted Cunningham, the Cork
based financial adviser convicted of laundering
£3 million of the sum stolen by the IRA
in the 2004 Northern Bank robbery
stated "Phil Flynn is the boss behind everything" in a garda interview about the robbery introduced in evidence in Cunningham's trial.
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, a trade unionist, an industrial relations consultant, a government advisor and a financier. He was the eldest of five children of a nationalist mother and 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...
father.
He joined Sinn Féin at the age of 14 and lent support to some of those involved in the IRA Border campaign
Border Campaign (IRA)
The Border Campaign was a campaign of guerrilla warfare carried out by the Irish Republican Army against targets in Northern Ireland, with the aim of overthrowing British rule there and creating a united Ireland.Popularly referred to as the Border Campaign, it was also referred to as the...
of the 1950s. He was taken in for police questioning on a number of occasions owing to his political activities. In 1974, he was tried with IRA membership, but acquitted, by the Special Criminal Court
Special Criminal Court
The Special Criminal Court is a juryless criminal court in the Republic of Ireland which tries terrorist and organized crime cases. Article 38 of the Constitution of Ireland empowers the Dáil to establish "special courts" with wide-ranging powers when "the ordinary courts are inadequate to secure...
. During the trial, the state alleged that he was IRA Director of Finance. In Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, he was arrested and held for three days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act
Prevention of Terrorism Act
Prevention of Terrorism Act could refer to four different sets of Acts of Parliament, in three different countries:* Prevention of Terrorism Acts, passed between 1974 and 1989 to deal with terrorism in Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom...
. In 1975, he came to public prominence when he acted as a mediator in the Tiede Herrema
Tiede Herrema
Dr Tiede Herrema is a Dutch businessman.In the 1970s, Herrema ran a wire factory, Ferenka, in the city of Limerick, Ireland. At the time, he was the city's biggest employer, with approximately 1,400 workers. On 3 October 1975 he was abducted near his home by two members of the Provisional Irish...
kidnap siege.
In 1984, he was elected general secretary of the Local Government and Public Services Union. His election caused problems for the Fine Gael-Labour administration as Flynn was also vice-president of Sinn Féin and as such, government officials and ministers refused to talk to him. Shortly after, he was elected to the executive of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions , formed in 1959 by the merger of the Irish Trade Union Congress and the Congress of Irish Unions , is a national trade union centre, the umbrella organisation to which trade unions in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland affiliate.-Influence:There...
(ICTU). In the same year, he stepped down as Sinn Féin vice-president, telling the party's Ard fheis
Ard Fheis
Ardfheis or Ard Fheis is the name used by many Irish political parties for their annual party conference. The term was first used by Conradh na Gaeilge, the Irish language cultural organisation, for its annual convention....
that his experience and support would always be available to the movement.
In 1987, he was reported to have resigned from Sinn Féin. From 1993 to 1995, he was president of ICTU, representing the Irish Municipal Public and Civil Trade Union. In 1996, he was appointed chairman of the Industrial Credit Corporation (ICC) by Ruairi Quinn
Ruairi Quinn
Ruairi Quinn is an Irish Labour Party politician who has been Minister for Education and Skills since March 2011. He is currently a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency. He was Minister for Finance from 1994 to 1997, and leader of the Labour Party from 1997 to 2002.-Early...
. ICC was subsequently acquired by the Bank of Scotland
Bank of Scotland
The Bank of Scotland plc is a commercial and clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland. With a history dating to the 17th century, it is the second oldest surviving bank in what is now the United Kingdom, and is the only commercial institution created by the Parliament of Scotland to...
in 2001.
In February 2005, Flynn's office was raided by officers of the Criminal Assets Bureau
Criminal Assets Bureau
The Criminal Assets Bureau is a law enforcement agency in Ireland, the purpose of which is to recover the proceeds of organised crime. It is a division of the Garda , but reports annually to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform...
(CAB) as part of an investigation into alleged IRA money-laundering. Flynn was a non-executive directors Chesterton Finance Company Ltd, a company at the centre of the CAB investigation. As a result, he resigned as chairman of the Irish Government committee on decentralisation, as non-executive chairman of Bank of Scotland (Ireland)
Bank of Scotland (Ireland)
Bank of Scotland was a bank based in the Republic of Ireland, a subsidiary of the Bank of Scotland, which in turn is a part of the Lloyds Banking Group. It was more widely known under the trading name of its former retail division, Halifax. Since 10 February 2010 the bank has no longer accepted...
and as director of the VHI. During the search of his officers, Flynn was found to be the illegal possession of a pen gun and mini tear gas canisters. At related court hearing In December 2005, he admitted to possession and agreed to pay €5,000 to a charity.
Ted Cunningham, the Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
based financial adviser convicted of laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
£3 million of the sum stolen by the IRA
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
in the 2004 Northern Bank robbery
Northern Bank robbery
The Northern Bank robbery was a large robbery of cash from the Donegall Square West headquarters of Northern Bank in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Carried out by a large, proficient group on 20 December 2004, the gang seized the equivalent of £26.5 million in pounds sterling and small amounts of...
stated "Phil Flynn is the boss behind everything" in a garda interview about the robbery introduced in evidence in Cunningham's trial.