THE garda at the centre of the row over an exchange with the Minister for Defence and the Marine, Mr Barrett, during a reception in Cyprus, is to be allowed to complete his tour of duty with the United Nations on the island.
Agreement has been reached on Tuesday about the division of costs for the court case in which Garda Michael Fitzpatrick challenged the authority of the Garda Commissioner to repatriate him after the incident on March 15th last.
The court costs are to be dividend between the Garda Representative Association (GRA), which represented Garda Fitzpatrick, and the Department of Justice.
Garda Fitzpatrick had faced repatriation after allegedly making a remark to the Minister about garda allowances followed by another to the effect that "if Fianna Fail were in power" they would increase allowances.
After the incident the Garda authorities informed him that he was no longer regarded as having the appropriate character to continue serving with the UN in Cyprus.
The GRA, on Garda Fitzpatrick's behalf successfully challenged this in the High Court which sat on Good Friday to hear the ex parte application.
The case has continued through the High Court but was not due to come to a full hearing until next year.
With Garda Fitzpatrick's tour of duty set to end in February, it now appears that it has been decided to drop the proceedings, splitting the cost and allowing him to finish his tour.
Garda Fitzpatrick apologised to the Minister over the incident which happened during a function in an Irish UN personnel social club in Nicosia after a medal ceremony. There had been a free bar at the function.