Singer Mary Coughlan has apologised in court to her sister, Ms Angela Magennis, for comments regarding alcoholism which she, Ms Coughlan, made in the Sunday Independent last year.
The Circuit Civil Court heard that Ms Magennis, of Seacrest, Knocknacara, Galway, had sued the newspaper and her sister as a result of what had been published.
The apology, read by Mr Eoin McCullough, counsel for the defendants, stated: "I wish to express my heartfelt apologies to my sister Angela for the comments regarding alcoholism which I made to the Sunday Independent, published on April 5th, 1998, which could be interpreted as applying to Angela.
"I fully accept that I had no right to state that all of my siblings suffered (and caused suffering) from alcoholism as I have, particularly because this could be thought to apply to Angela.
"My comments were intended to help people who have suffered the effects of alcoholism by explaining that there is a family context within which alcoholism often develops, but I accept that these comments were unfair and unjustified and caused deep hurt to Angela and I profoundly regret this.
"I hope that my comments about my problems and progress with alcoholism will be a source of encouragement to people who have suffered from alcoholism and that my comments relating to the support which members of my family have given me and each other will not be interpreted as identifying any other individual as being alcoholic.
"I undertake not to make public comment regarding Angela in the future."