A libel action arising out of the sacking of Mr David Cook and Mr Chris Ryder from the former police authority for Northern Ireland was settled in the High Court in Belfast yesterday.
Mr Cook, a solicitor and former lord mayor of Belfast, and Mr Ryder, a journalist and author, sued the authority over its submission on the sackings to the Patten Commission on police reforms.
The jury action was expected to last three weeks but was settled after talks between the parties.
Mr Michael Lavery QC, for both plaintiffs, read out an agreed statement saying it was the wish of everyone involved in the cases that the new policing arrangements which came into effect on November 5th should meet with success to the benefit of all the people of Northern Ireland. The statement went on: "The events with which these actions are connected took place some years ago. Everyone is anxious in the best interests of the community at large that past differences between the plaintiffs and the defendants should not over-shadow the new arrangements.
"Mr Cook and Mr Ryder served on the police authority at a time of great difficulty for policing at no small cost to themselves in terms of time and effort. All parties recognise that they worked with great energy during their period of service to achieve what they earnestly believed to be in the best interests of the community.
"Accordingly they are now happy to settle their past differences and to join in wishing the new board every success in its important task. These actions are to be stayed on terms endorsed."
Mr Cook and Mr Ryder issued a statement saying they welcomed the settlements and the clear vindication of their reputations.
The statement went on: "While we still think he was wrong, we accepted Sir Patrick Mayhew's decision to sack us in March 1996 without challenge or rancour. What we could not accept was the version of the associated events the police authority included in its submission to the Patten Commission in December 1998.
"This libel action was reluctantly commenced solely to authoritatively establish that at all times we acted with complete propriety and integrity . . . we are glad that has now been publicly endorsed."