DEMOCRATIC LEFT leader Mr Proinsias De Rossa has said he intends to continue his libel action against Independent Newspapers until a conclusion is reached.
Emerging from the High Court yesterday, Mr De Rossa was optimistic despite seeing the two-week trial collapse after the jury failed to reach agreement.
Mr Eamon Dunphy thanked the jury "for their thoroughness and commitment" in discharging their duties.
Mr De Rossa said he was very pleased that during the trial the Sunday Independent agreed that he was not a criminal, or party to any criminal activity. But, he admitted: "I obviously regret that the jury have not managed to reach a conclusion on the issues put before them."
Mr De Rossa expressed his gratitude for the support he had received over the past few "difficult weeks". He thanked the jury for listening patiently to the evidence, as well as his lawyers "for. the excellent work they have done in presenting the case on my behalf".
He said he would persist with the case to ensure that it would be brought to a conclusion. However, he refused to say whether he would be seeking a retrial.
Democratic Left TD Ms Kathleen Lynch, in court yesterday with a number of other party colleagues, said the lengthy trial has taken its toll on everyone. The question whether there should be a retrial was for Mr De Rossa to decide.
However, she added: "At this stage, I think neither he nor anyone else would relish the thought of a third trial."
Meanwhile - with some reluctance - Mr Dunphy told reporters outside the court that he could not comment on the case as it was still sub judice. But he did want to say that he was "very grateful" to the jury for its competence in dealing with the case.
"They are remarkable people," he said.
Earlier in the courtroom, Mr Dunphy embraced friends and supporters after hearing the jury had failed to agree. Smiling broadly, the journalist indicated that he wanted to say more about the case but that his legal team had told him to refrain from commenting.
Mr David Palmer, managing director of Independent Newspapers, welcomed the outcome on behalf of the company. "We are obviously very pleased that there has been no finding by the jury that Eamon Dunphy's article libelled Proinsias De Rossa," he said.
"Clearly in their being discharged there must have been substantial debate and substantial disagreement within the jury. We at Independent Newspapers have always defended this case on the basis that the article is not defamatory."
Mr Aengus Fanning, editor of the Sunday Independent, the newspaper which published Mr Dunphy's article, declined to comment.
