Independent to consider position

Independent Newspapers will consider over the next few days whether to appeal against the biggest libel damages award against a newspaper in the history of the State, which were yesterday granted to the Democratic Left leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa.

An "absolutely delighted" Mr De Rossa declined to comment on the size of the £300,000 award, but he described the jury's verdict that he had been libelled by the Sunday Independent as a "common sense result".

Flanked by his daughter Niamh and party colleague Ms Liz McManus TD, Mr De Rossa emerged from the court to say it had taken him "four years, seven months and 18 days to reach this point".

"This was a case about my reputation as a citizen of this country," he said. His action had not been an attack on press freedom, or the right of the media to comment about institutions or individuals. It was about drawing a line between that right, and accusations of criminality which had been made in this case.

However the managing director of Independent Newspapers (Ireland), Mr David Palmer, said the jury's verdict had "profound implications" for Irish journalism .

In a brief statement, Mr Palmer said: "A very long judicial process is over. The jury has reached its verdict. The verdict has profound implications for journalism in Ireland. We shall consider our position over the coming days."

He declined to say whether the newspaper group was likely to appeal the verdict, but Independent legal sources said the question whether to appeal the size of the damages, or the verdict itself, would be considered in the coming days.

Mr Eamon Dunphy, who wrote the article at the centre of the case, also read a short statement and, like Mr Palmer, declined to answer questions. He said simply: "I want to express my gratitude to Independent Newspapers for their support through this difficult trial, and for supporting my journalism. I should also like to express my profound gratitude to Independent's legal team.".

Mr De Rossa thanked the jury for its patience in listening to the details of the case and coming to its conclusion; he thanked his family and friends, without whose support he couldn't have "gone through it"; he thanked his legal team, who had been "committed" to the case from the outset; and he thanked his solicitor, Ms Emer McKenna, whose "unstinting service" had helped to win the day and bring a "common sense result in this case".

The only person left out of Mr De Rossa's roll of honour, it seemed, was Mr Dunphy, about whom he said nothing. Asked what his feelings were now towards the author of the offending article, he said: "I have no feelings about Eamon Dunphy one way or the other."

Pressed on the matter, he repeated the comment, and added that his case had not been against Mr Dunphy, but the Sunday Independent. Within minutes of the jury's verdict being announced, Mr De Rossa was engulfed by wellwishers, including his sister, Ms Marie Brady, his former programme manager, Ms Rosheen Callendar, the former Democratic Left TD Mr Joe Sherlock, and the party press officer, Mr Tony Heffernan.

Ms McManus had given evidence that the light had gone out of Mr De Rossa's eyes when the article was published in December 1992. She was happy to confirm it was now back. Mr De Rossa, meanwhile, was off to celebrate. Asked how he planned to spend the evening, he laughed before answering: "Ask me tomorrow what I've done."