Monica Leech and Independent Newspapers reach agreement

An agreement has been reached between communications consultant Monica Leech and Independent Newspapers concerning the legal costs of two libel actions, the Supreme Court has heard.

The first relates to a successful appeal by Mrs Leech against the dismissal of a High Court action over an article published in the Irish Independent in December 2004 about an RTE radio broadcast related to her.

Frank Callanan SC, for Mrs Leech, told the Supreme Court it had been agreed that costs of that appeal would be awarded to his client and the issue of High Court costs would be dealt with by the trial judge at any rehearing of the case.

There had also been agreement between the parties on costs in relation to a second action in which the Supreme Court had in December last reduced an original €1.87m High Court award to her to €1.25m, counsel said.

That action related to a series of articles in 2004 in the Evening Herald, published by Independent Newspapers, which a jury found was defamatory of Ms Leech.

Mr Justice John Murray, sitting with Mr Justice William McKechnie and Ms Justice Elizabeth Dunne, noted the agreement.