Former Independent Mayo TD Beverly Flynn has been welcomed back into Fianna Fáil's parliamentary party at its regular meeting at Leinster House this evening.
Ms Flynn rejoined the party on Thursday night after Fianna Fáil's national executive unanimously approved her letter seeking to be readmitted into the party.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said her readmission to Fianna Fáil was the correct decision and was taken at an appropriate time. Mr Ahern made the formal proposal on her behalf on Thursday.
"At the time as you know there were things that she had not been able to deal with. We always said that when they were dealt with she would be able to return," the Taoiseach said.
Ms Flynn was expelled from Fianna Fáil in April 2001, following a failed libel action against RTÉ, over a report that as an employee of National Irish Bank she had encouraged or assisted a number of persons in tax evasion.
Ms Flynn has maintained she did nothing wrong and had not encouraged clients to evade tax, notwithstanding the Supreme Court finding against her in the libel case.