THE chairman of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Mr Donnell Deeny QC, was awarded substantial damages yesterday in settlement of a libel action against the Belfast newspaper, the News Letter.
In the High Court in Belfast Mr Deeny sued Century Newspapers Ltd over three articles written by Charles Fitzgerald, the News Letter's diarist and arts correspondent.
Mr Michael Lavery QC told Lord Justice MacDermott that the action had been settled on terms which required counsel for the defendants to make an apology in, open court.
Mr Alan Comerton QC read an agreed statement, in which the defendants apologised for three articles under Charles Fitzgerald's byline on January 31st and February 1st this year, referring to Mr Deeny.
"In these articles we made a number of statements which may have been read as reflecting on Mr Deeny's conduct of the affairs of the arts council, particularly in relation to the administration of the council, the allocation of its funds and its policies.
"Any imputations against him were totally without foundation and we accept that they should never have been made."
The statement went on: "Mr Deeny, in his capacity as chairman of the Arts Council, has been concerned to carry out his public duties even handedly, honestly and fairly for the benefit of the entire community.
"We recognise that the imputations have caused grave offence and concern to Mr Deeny. We extend to him our most sincere apologies in the circumstances.
"In view of the gravity of the matter and as a mark of our sincerity in making this apology we have agreed to pay him substantial damages and indemnify him in respect of his legal costs."