Willie O'Dea admits false & defamatory statements, pays damages to Councillor Maurice Quinlivan

national | crime and justice | other press Tuesday December 22, 2009 10:55 by Joe

Minister for Defence admit false evidence to High Court

Irish Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea admits making false and deflamatory statments against Limerick Sinn Fein Councillor Maurice Quinlivan. Minister O'Dea also admitted making false stements in evidence to the High Court in an earlier action, when he falsely denied having made these statements. Minister O'Dea has publically apologised to Mr Quinlivan, agreed to pay damages as well as paying all legal expenses.

From the rte.ie website

Monday, 21 December 2009 14:48

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea has apologised to Limerick Sinn Féin Councillor Maurice Quinlivan for making false and defamatory statements about him in an interview with the Limerick Chronicle newspaper last March.

He has also apologised for denying having made such statements in an action taken by Mr Quinlivan last April to prevent the statements being repeated.

The Minister has also paid damages and costs to Mr Quinlivan, who is Sinn Féin's joint national treasurer.

Mr Quinlivan took a defamation action against Mr O'Dea after the article appeared on 10 March.

In an apology read to the High Court this afternoon, Mr O'Dea said the article contained implications which reflected on the personal conduct and character of Mr Quinlivan.

He said he accepted that these implications emanated from him and in particular from statements he made in an interview with a journalist from the Limerick Chronicle.

Mr O'Dea said he accepted all such implications and statements were false and defamatory of Mr Quinlivan.

He said he withdrew them in their entirety and apologised to Mr Quinlivan both for making them and for denying having made them.

Mr Quinlivan said he accepts there was no intention to mislead on the part of Mr O'Dea in making this denial.

Mr O'Dea continued that he accepted Councillor Quinlivan was a person of the highest integrity and fully entitled to the good reputation he enjoys at a local and national level.