IRELAND
Irish Independent
Dearbhail McDonald Legal Editor
PUBLISHED
02/07/2015
A SETTLEMENT has been reached between RTE and a Catholic Archbishop in a defamation case.
Archbishop Emeritus Richard Burke, (66), a native of Co Tipperary, sued RTE alleging he was defamed in the RTE Prime Time Investigates: A Mission to Prey programme broadcast on May 23rd 2011.
The former Archbishop of Benin, Nigeria – who resigned in 2010 over his failure to adhere to his vow of celibacy – claimed material in the programme wrongly meant he was a paedophile.
RTE had denied defamation.
It is understood no damages were received as part of the settlement. But in a statement issued outside court, Robert Dore, solicitor for Mr Burke, said his client had “no exposure to cost”.
Also speaking outside the court, RTE’s head of news and current affairs Kevin Backharst said no damages had been paid to Mr Burke, but confirmed there had been “a contribution” to costs.
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