The Taxing Master of the High Court has reduced fees for lawyers who acted for RTE broadcaster Pat Kenny and his wife, Kathy, when the couple settled their libel actions against Independent Newspapers (Irl) Ltd for £75,000. In his decision on the amount of costs to be paid to the lawyers, Taxing Master, Mr James Flynn said the libel actions arose out of an article by Eamon Dunphy in the Sunday Independent on November 6th, 1994.
He said Mr Kenny was offered and accepted £50,000, while his wife accepted £25,000 as well as an appropriately worded apology.
The Taxing Master said the Kennys found the article distressing and upsetting but an amicable settlement was reached and the action did not go before a High Court jury.
He said the Kennys' solicitors had asked for £55,000 for a general instruction fee but he considered a fee of £25,000 fair and reasonable.
In relation to the barristers, the Taxing Master said the settlement had been, in reality, a difficult one. Each senior counsel had claimed brief fees of £15,000, while junior counsel sought a £10,000 brief fee. The Taxing Master allowed £12,600 and £8,400 respectively.