A dispute over who restored an armchair which won an antiques restoration competition on RTE's Late Late Show in May 1997 has been resolved.
On the show Ms Siubhan Maloney of Birchill, Donegal town, told Gay Byrne she had done 99 per cent of the work on the chair and had hammered in 800 studs. However, a Dublin upholsterer and antique shop owner, Mr Joshua Duffy of Francis Street, later claimed he had restored the chair.
In an interview on RTE Radio Ms Maloney claimed Mr Duffy had never seen the chair. However, in the High Court yesterday her solicitor read an apology on her behalf, acknowledging that the upholstery work was carried out by Mr Duffy and she withdrew "the contrary assertions" she had made. She said Mr Duffy at all times gave an entirely honest account of his involvement, and she unreservedly apologised for the distress and embarrassment caused. The acknowledgement that Mr Duffy restored the chair came under the terms of settlement of defamation proceedings he took arising from Ms Maloney's remarks on RTE Radio. When Mr Justice Kinlen first sat yesterday, he was told Ms Maloney did not propose to defend the action.
The jury was told by Mr John Carr, a solicitor for Ms Maloney, that she did not propose to defend the action and thereby admitted in essence Mr Duffy's case insofar as it affected her.
Mr Justice Kinlen granted an application by Mr Carr to come off record in the case. He told the jurors that what had happened meant Ms Maloney, who was in court for part of the proceedings, admitted that what she said (on radio) was basically wrong.
In the action Mr Duffy claimed he had agreed to upholster and restore a chair in March 1997 for Ms Maloney, who was a competitor in the antiques competition on the Late Late Show, at a reduced price on the basis that he would be credited with the work on the show.
He claimed she did not advert on the show to his work and stated she had carried out 99 per cent of it herself. Two days later Mr Duffy told the Sunday World he had done the work.
On May 27th, 1997, Mr Duffy submitted, Ms Maloney was interviewed on the Today with Pat Kenny show about the Sunday World article. He brought his action arising from remarks she made then, including a statement that he had never seen the chair.
After lunch yesterday, Mr Gerry Danaher SC, for Mr Duffy, said matters had been resolved and that the chair - which was in court - needed further restoration work at this stage.
Mr Carr then read an apology on Ms Maloney's behalf, acknowledging that the work was carried out by Mr Duffy.
Mr Hugh Mohan, for RTE, read an apology for his clients. It referred to the Today with Pat Kenny show broadcast, during which aspersions were cast by Ms Maloney on the truthfulness of Mr Duffy's account of his involvement in the restoration. The apology continued: "RTE fully accepts that Mr Duffy did indeed do all the upholstery work on the chair. RTE acknowledges that he was entirely honest and truthful in his account of his involvement. RTE further acknowledges that Mr Duffy was grossly defamed by the other participant in the said programme.
"While pointing out that RTE's only involvement in this defamation was as a broadcaster of the programme in question, RTE apologises to Mr Duffy for the embarrassment and distress caused to him."
Under a consent order made in court, RTE is entitled to seek to recover the costs of the case from Ms Maloney. RTE is to pay Mr Duffy's costs.
It was learned that as part of the settlement Mr Duffy is to receive between £20,000 and £30,000, although no figure was given.