Fianna Fáil's National Organiser has begun a libel action against Independent newspapers. Seán Sherwin, a former Fianna Fáil TD, claims that he was libelled in an article published in the Sunday Independent in February 1999.
Opening the case for Seán Sherwin, Garrett Cooney SC said that the Sligo born England based property developer, Tom Gilmartin, would be a witness for the defence in this case. Mr Gilmartin is due to give evidence in the future in the Flood Tribunal. Mr Cooney said he had been making complaints directed at many people.
Sometime at the beginning of 1999, Mr Cooney said that Jody Corcoran, the political editor of the Sunday Independent, received some form of information from Tom Gilmartin and he used that information as the basis for the article at the centre of this libel action.
Mr Cooney said that the article unjustly, unfairly and without any foundation on fact took away the reputation of Seán Sherwin.
