THE Sunday Times has apologised in court to RTE's Questions and Answers editor, Ms Betty Purcell, for allegations of bias in her selection of panellists for the programme.
Ms Purcell had sued the newspaper for £30,000 damages for defamation and yesterday settled her action before Judge Harvey Kenny in the Circuit Civil Court for £15,000, costs and an apology read in open court.
The apology, which was read by Mr Maurice Collins, for the Sunday Times, said:
"In an article `Time for the Irish Media to Get Tough', on March 13th, 1994, Eoghan Harris claimed that a three year boycott of his appearing on the Questions and Answers programme was ended only by the indirect intervention of the Director General of RTE.
"We wish to make it clear, and accept, that Betty Purcell, the editor, selects programme panellists in a professional and unbiased manner. We apologise for the embarrassment caused to Ms Purcell."
Outside the court Ms Purcell said she was absolutely delighted with the outcome achieved by her legal team of Mr Adrian Hardiman SC, who appeared with Mr John Nolan, instructed by Kent Carty, solicitors.
Ms Purcell had claimed the Sunday Times falsely and maliciously alleged she abused her position to such an extent that the Director General had to intervene to prevent bias, that she was unprofessional and incompetent and that she condoned the actions of subversives and terrorists.