'Not a good day' financially, says Cooper-Flynn

Reaction: Ms Beverley Cooper-Flynn expressed disappointment at the Supreme Court decision and admitted it was "not a good day" for her, financially. But she insisted she had no regrets about taking the case against RTÉ.

The Mayo TD also conceded that her future with Fianna Fáil was now "out of my hands". She had no immediate plans to talk to the Taoiseach, who was "very busy this week". Her position within the organisation was now "a matter for the parliamentary party".

Ms Cooper Flynn said she still believed her case had been a substantial one, and the length of the Supreme Court's judgments suggested the members found the issues substantial, too.

"I felt very strongly about it, and I suppose I'm the type of person that, if I feel strongly a thing is wrong, I have to do something about it. And nothing has changed as far as I'm concerned, except that the courts have now made a judgment."

RTÉ's chief news correspondent, Charlie Bird - one of those named in the libel proceedings - said he was delighted at the decision. It was "one of the best days of my journalistic career", he added, but it was also a great day for journalism in general, and for public service broadcasting.

"My colleague George Lee and I have consistently stood over the stories on the NIB offshore scheme which we broke in January 1998 and the issues they raised. We are greatly heartened that the Supreme Court upheld the jury decision that the stories were justified in their central claim that tax evasion was encouraged and facilitated."

He bore no animosity towards Ms Cooper-Flynn, for whom it was "a difficult day".

In a statement, RTÉ said it had been determined to stand behind the stories and the journalists involved to the highest level. While the result was welcome, the statement added, the case underlined the need for libel law reform:

"Both sides were faced with the prospect of a very expensive process before a final determination of these matters was made."

The National Union of Journalists also welcomed the outcome. "This decision is a vindication of NUJ members Charlie Bird and George Lee but for the NUJ the case has a much wider dimension," the union's Irish secretary, Mr Séamus Dooley, said.

"All parties faced the prospect of massive legal bills and the case underlines the need for urgent libel reform. Beverley Cooper- Flynn had an absolute right to seek to vindicate her reputation and no citizen should face possible bankruptcy as a result of exercising a constitutional right."