PROCEEDINGS by a Tralee auctioneer against the founder of political website Politics.ie have been settled, a sitting of the Circuit Court in Listowel, Co Kerry, was told yesterday.
Last week, an interim injunction was granted to auctioneer, Michael Daly , partner of Darragh Ó Sé of Tralee auctioneers Daly Ó Sé Property Partners Denny Street, Tralee, restraining publication of reports on the website. Yesterday, a correction, without admission of liability, on behalf of Politics.ie founder David Cochrane of Crodaun Park, Cellbridge, Co Kildare was read out in court by the defendant’s counsel Pauline Walley. This acknowledged the distress caused to Mr Daly and said a genuine error had occurred.
Mr Daly acknowledged in a statement read by counsel Joe Revington that Mr Cochrane and Politics.ie were reputable and had contributed to political debate in the country. Mr Cochrane was not the member who posted the offending material, Mr Daly’s statement also stressed.
In his statement, Mr Cochrane said that on March 16th, 2010, a post was posted on Politics.ie by a member of the site using the title “Kerrynorth”.
This posting incorrectly stated that Mr Daly was being pursued by Anglo Irish Bank for €1.49 million.
“The defendant appreciates that Michael Daly brought this to his notice on the 13th of April, 2010, and upon which he acted diligently and expeditiously. The defendant had taken down the posting immediately upon becoming aware of the untrue and damaging content of the posting. The defendant was subsequently advised by the member that this posting was completely untrue.”
Mr Cochrane’s statement said Mr Daly was a person of repute.