Former Law Society President Maura Derivan and her solicitor husband, Patrick, have publicly apologised in court to a Co Tipperary accountant for publishing a letter containing “incorrect and not true” allegations in relation to him.
Mr Paul O’Higgins SC, counsel for the Derivans, read a statement of apology before Judge Michael Walsh in the Circuit Civil Court, marking the end of a 14-year-long claim by Bobby Fitzgerald for €50,000 damages for defamation of character.
Mr Fitzgerald was in court while the Derivans – who practise as Derivan Sexton and Company Solicitors, New Street, Carrick-on-Suir – were not present.
The statement of apology read: “The first and second named defendant now understand and accept that the allegations in the letter of 09 June 2009 (defamatory letter) are incorrect and not true and unreservedly apologise and retract them and regret that the letter was sent.”
The claim was for €50,000 damages in accordance with then existing legislation but it is believed legal costs on both sides ran to hundreds of thousands of euro.
