He was previously a vice-president of Sinn Féin, a trade unionist, an industrial relations consultant, a government advisor and a financier.
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.
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.
During the search of his officers, Flynn was found to be the illegal possession of a pen gun and mini tear gas canisters.
[citation needed] 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.