An Army social worker punched and kicked his superior at a Defence Forces conference on controlling anger, a court heard.
Judge Liam Devally was told the defendant in an assault action wished to apologise to his former boss in court and had agreed to pay him undisclosed damages for personal injuries.
The Defence Forces' head social worker, Mr Mervyn Ennis, had claimed in the Circuit Civil Court that one of his social workers in Eastern Command, Mr Michael Lacey, had "grossly abused, assaulted and beat" him.
Mr Aidan Redmond, counsel for Mr Ennis, of Boherboy, Saggart, Co Dublin, told Judge Devally that his client's claim for up to £30,000 damages had been compromised in a settlement which would include an apology.
Mr Niall Hill, counsel for Mr Lacey, of Woodford Drive, Clondalkin, Dublin, read to the court an apology in which Mr Lacey said he apologised for the assault upon Mr Ennis.
Mr Ennis's endorsement of claim revealed he had sustained injuries to his face, left shoulder, left groin, mouth and teeth. He claimed Mr Lacey "had been actuated by malevolence or spite towards him" and had humiliated him before work colleagues.
In a defence to Mr Ennis's claim, Mr Lacey had lodged a counter-claim in which he alleged that from late 1994 until the October 1998 incident at Army HQ he had been subjected to bullying at the hands of Mr Ennis.
Mr Lacey, now director of Trinity Court Drug Treatment Centre, said in his counter-claim that his physical and psychological wellbeing had suffered.
Mr Redmond told Judge Devally that as part of the settlement the counter-claim against his client was to be struck out.
The civilian social workers formed the personnel support service for the Army, Naval Service and Air Corps and had been meeting at Army headquarters, Parkgate Street, Dublin, on October 21st 1998 to review courses given on controlling anger.
Mr Ennis is still head social worker with the Defence Forces