BUSINESSMAN PASCHAL Taggart is to receive damages for newspaper allegations linked to his chairmanship of the Irish Greyhound Board, it was disclosed today. The Irish Examinerhas also issued an apology and retraction as part of a settlement to the lawsuit brought over a number of critical articles it published.
Mr Taggart, who chaired Bord na gCon from 2000 to 2006, is one of the first to issue proceedings simultaneously in both Belfast and Dublin. The so-called double jurisdiction system allowed him to take advantage of whichever High Court had the earlier available hearing date.
Originally from Co Antrim but having spent most of his professional life in Dublin, Mr Taggart qualified as having a reputation to maintain on both sides of the Border. A resolution to the action was confirmed in a statement read out at the High Court in Belfast by a lawyer for the newspaper’s publishers.
Brian Fee QC said: "In the editions of the Irish Examinerdated February 3, 2006, November 21, 2006, and November 3, 2007 the Irish Examinerpublished a number of articles critical of the plaintiff and his chairmanship of Bord na gCon between the years 2000 and 2006.
" The Irish Examinerunreservedly withdraws any allegations or inferences which may have questioned the plaintiff's professional integrity and his invaluable contribution to Bord na gCon and to greyhound racing in Ireland.
" The Irish Examinerapologises to Mr Taggart for the distress and embarrassment caused to him."
Mr Taggart’s lawyer Paul Tweed later disclosed the amount involved in the settlement.
Mr Tweed said: “This comprehensive retraction and apology, together with the substantial damages payment of £50,000 serves to vindicate my client’s reputation and the decision to issue proceedings in the High Courts of both Irish jurisdictions concurrently.
"My client had at all times during his chairmanship sought to act in the best interests of Bord na gCon and was determined from the outset that the Irish Examinershould retract what were outrageous and totally unjustified allegations that should never have been published in the first place."