'No money changed hands': Iconic Newspaper group respond to Paudie Coffey interview on WLR

The newspaper group sued by outgoing Fine Gael Senator Paudie Coffey paid no damages to him arising from a libel action earlier this year.

Iconic Newspapers, publisher of the Kilkenny People, released a statement after Mr Coffey gave a lengthy interview on Waterford radio station, WLR, in which he said he was “ very happy with the settlement.”

The group has moved to clarify that “no money changed hands” as part of a settlement arising from his libel action.

“We also note comments made by Senator Coffey today in an interview on WLR FM, regarding his High Court proceedings against the Kilkenny People newspaper, owned by Iconic Newspapers,” the statement said.

“In particular, we refer to the comment by Senator Coffey that he was 'very happy … with the settlement that was offered'” the statement added.

We feel the need to clarify that no money changed hands as a result of this legal action. Senator Coffey received no payment from Iconic Newspapers, by way of damages, following the settlement of his High Court action earlier this year.

“Both parties agreed to pay their own legal costs and thus Iconic Newspapers made no contribution to the costs incurred by Senator Coffey during the proceedings taken by him,” the statement added.

“We note that after two decades of public service Senator Paudie Coffey has announced his intention not to contest the next general election and wish him well in the next chapter of his life,” the Iconic statement concluded.

In July, Mr Coffey settled his High Court action over a newspaper article which he said defamed him when he was likened to an 18th century highway robber in an article about boundary changes in south Kilkenny.

Following a 13-day trial last December, the jury was discharged on December 11th after it failed to reach a verdict, having deliberated for 11 hours over two days.

Mr Coffey, a former TD and former minister of state for the environment, now a Senator, sued Iconic Newspapers and journalist Sam Matthews, publishers of the article in the Kilkenny People on January 15th, 2016.

The article, headed “Coffey the Robber”, stated fellow FG TD John Paul Phelan had launched a furious broadside on the then minister of state accusing him of trying to “rob” a chunk of south Kilkenny.

He claimed the words falsely meant, among other things, he was guilty of misuse of public office and was a person of severe ill-repute, akin to an 18th century highwayman from Waterford. Sen Coffey comes from Waterford and lives in Portlaw.

The defendants denied the article, based on a press release issued by Mr Phelan, was defamatory.