FORMER government communications consultant Monica Leech has secured an apology and a final settlement figure believed to be in the region of €125,000 including costs as part of a libel action settlement against Associated Newspapers — publishers of the Irish Mail on Sunday and the Daily Mail.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said tonight that Minister for Transport Martin Cullen’s future in the Cabinet is secure for now after a civil servant’s report cleared him of any wrongdoing.

FORMER Environment Minister Martin Cullen brought in his €1,200-a-day PR adviser, Monica Leech, despite the department already employing one of the country's biggest PR companies to work on a major project.

MARTIN CULLEN’S former election campaign manager sat on the interview panel that awarded the €4.7 million electronic voting publicity contract to so-called “friends of Fianna Fáil”.