An action by Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise and Employment Ms Mary Harney alleging libel in a front page article in the Sunday Independent was settled at the High Court yesterday.
Ms Harney initiated the proceedings after the article by journalist Jody Corcoran, which referred to a building firm, was published in the newspaper on January 14th, 2001.
The action was listed yesterday for hearing before Ms Justice Laffoy and a jury. Ms Harney, accompanied by her husband, Mr Brian Geoghegan, was in court.
However, following discussions between lawyers for both sides, Mr Paul Gallagher SC, with Mr Brian O'Moore SC, for Ms Harney, told the judge at about 11.45 a.m. that the matter had been "sorted out" and an apology would be read on behalf of the defence.
Mr Kevin Feeney SC, with Mr Eoin McCullough SC, for Independent Newspapers plc, then read the apology.
It stated: "In our edition of January 14th, 2001, we published an article concerning Mary Harney. Ms Harney issued libel proceedings claiming that the article suggested that she had been the recipient of payments of a corrupt nature.
"We are happy to confirm that no suggestion to that effect was either intended or envisaged by us. We readily acknowledge Ms Harney's excellent character and integrity and unreservedly apologise to her for the hurt caused by the article."
Outside court afterwards, the Tánaiste said she went to court to vindicate her good name. She said the Sunday Independent article had been "extraordinarily damaging" and suggested she had been involved in corrupt practices.
She had sought an apology within a week of the article appearing, but it was not forthcoming, she added.
She was happy to get an unreserved apology, and the settlement involved a sum of money towards her legal costs and also towards a charity.
She had not yet decided on the charity, although she had a fair idea which one it would be. However, she would prefer to contact the charity first.
Mr Michael Roche, managing editor of Independent Newspapers, said afterwards: "We are disappointed the action was taken. The action was settled on what we regard as an economic basis. However, it's a good deal less than our estimate of the costs incurred by Mr Harney.
"We never accepted the article portrayed Ms Harney as having accepted corrupt payments as alleged by her in these proceedings. It is fair to say the arrangement reached is an honourable compromise to conclude matters."