A LIBEL action by businessman Dermot Desmond over an article published in Magillmagazine 12 years ago was settled at the High Court yesterday.
Mr Desmond had sued Coliemore Publications Ltd, Vincent Browne, then editor of Magill, and journalist Ursula Halligan over a 1998 article.
Under yesterday’s settlement, an apology was read which was also told Mr Browne is to make a contribution to a charity nominated by Mr Desmond.
Mr Justice Éamon de Valera struck out the proceedings on that basis.
In the apology, read by Declan Doyle SC for the defendants, it was stated:
“Insofar as the article concerned gives rise to the inference or innuendo that Dermot Desmond and/or NCB were the beneficiaries of contracts awarded to NCB by the State as a direct result of, or in consideration, alleged payments made by Dermot Desmond to Charles J Haughey, this is regretted by Vincent Browne.”