Mary Harney Magill agrees to pay charity
Magill admitted that the article, which claimed that Mary Harney had been ordered by the Flood Tribunal to disclose details of her financial affairs, was untrue, serious and damaging.
Counsel for Magill, Eoin McCullough, said the article was seriously defamatory of Mrs Harney. The magazine is paying a substantial sum of money to St Patrick's Unit in Peamount Hospital, which was chosen by Ms Harney.
The unit cares for elderly and mentally handicapped people. RTÉ understands that the sum involved is in the region of €25,000.
Mr McCullough said the magazine accepted that the publication of the article during the election campaign was especially damaging to Mrs Harney and the Progressive Democrats.
He said that the magazine accepted that the repetition of the libel in court was offensive and likely to do further damage. He said Magill did not mean to imply any corrupt practices on Mrs Harney's part.
Mr McCullough said Magill its staff and publishers unreservedly apologised to Mrs Harney and had agreed to pay a substantial sum to a charity named by Mrs Harney.
