Gemma O’Doherty, a journalist who sued the Irish Independent for defamation after being fired by the paper and labelled “a rogue reporter”, has won a grovelling apology and damages from the publishers and the paper’s editor-in-chief.
Although the final terms of the settlement were not revealed at Dublin’s high court today, the apology to her by Independent News & Media (INM) and its editor-in-chief, Stephen Rae, was read out in court:
“Independent Newspapers wish to acknowledge the exceptional work of multi-award winning investigative journalist Gemma O’Doherty for the Irish Independent during the course of a lengthy career.
Independent Newspapers accept that Gemma O’Doherty has acted at all times in a professional and diligent manner and in the best interests of Independent Newspapers.
Independent Newspapers unreservedly apologises to Ms O’Doherty for the stress and hardship caused to her and her husband as a result of its actions.
Independent Newspapers have agreed to pay to Ms O’Doherty undisclosed damages and to indemnify her in relation to her legal costs”.
The apology is similar to the one INM gave last month in settlement of O’Doherty’s unfair dismissal action at Ireland’s employment appeals tribunal.
She was fired in August 2013 following her investigation into the widespread wiping of driving licence penalty points by the Irish police force.
As part of her inquiries in April 2013, she called at the home of the former Irish police commissioner, Martin Callinan, who also had penalty points deleted from his record.
Rae later referred to her as “a rogue reporter” and weeks later she was informed that she was to be made compulsorily redundant, making her the only member of the Independent staff to suffer that indignity.
Following the resolution of her defamation action, O’Doherty issued a statement saying the apology was “another comprehensive vindication of my reputation as an investigative reporter”. She continued:
“On a separate and general note, journalists have an obligation to hold power to account, be it in An Garda Síochána, Dail Eireann, the health service or other institutions of the state.
We must be allowed to do our work without fear or favour, defending the public interest and the rights of citizens, especially victims of injustice and the marginalised”.
Her lawyer, Paul Tweed, also saw INM’s apology as “vindication of her professional reputation”. He added:
“Quite apart from this case and newspaper, it is perhaps a sign of the times that Gemma is the fourth journalist in as many weeks for whom I have had to take action against various other organisations, albeit in differing circumstances, in order to safeguard their professional integrity”.
Sources: RTE/Private information