The Dublin West TD Mr Liam Lawlor is facing an estimated legal bill of some £300,000 arising from legal proceedings involving himself and the Flood tribunal.
The bill includes costs of the TD's unsuccessful appeal to the Supreme Court against a seven-day jail term imposed by the High Court for failure to adequately discover documents sought by the tribunal.
Mr Lawlor and his wife are due to leave for New York today to visit their son, Niall, and his wife, who is expecting their second child shortly. Mr Lawlor is to due to return on December 28th.
Last week, the Supreme Court decided Mr Lawlor did not have to begin his seven-day imprisonment until January 2nd, affording him time to go to the US. Yesterday, the Supreme Court awarded costs of his unsuccessful appeal in that court against Mr Lawlor.
When the High Court decided on July 31st last to sentence Mr Lawlor to his second seven-day prison term, it also ordered that he pay the costs of the High Court proceedings.
Mr Lawlor spent his first seven days in jail last January for failing to provide the Flood tribunal with financial documentation which it has been seeking. He was also fined £10,000.
The tribunal brought the case back to the High Court in July, resulting in the second seven-day sentence, as well a £5,000 fine.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court ruled that if the fine was not paid by December 31st, Mr Lawlor should pay interest from that date.
Mr Frank Clarke SC, for the tribunal, told the five-judge court that the only issue remaining was the costs of the Supreme Court appeal.
He did not see any reason why costs "should not follow the event" - meaning that Mr Lawlor as the unsuccessful appellant should pay them.
Mr John Trainor SC, for Mr Lawlor, said it seemed that in the ordinary way costs should "follow the event". He was not making any contrary submissions.
Mr Lawlor was not present in court.
The Chief Justice, Mr Justice Keane, said the Supreme Court would confirm the High Court order in relation to costs and allow the tribunal the costs of the appeal.