Award-winning West Belfast film-maker Seán Murray, whose trailblazing 'Unquiet Graves' documentary cast fresh light on collusion between the British Government and loyalist gangs, has settled a libel action over comments made when the film aired on RTÉ.

In a statement, law firm Ó Muirigh Solicitors said they took action against "a number of publications which made outrageous and defamatory allegations against our client".

The statement added: "We issued pre-action libel proceedings against one individual. We can confirm that we have this afternoon agreed a terms of settlement relating to this matter to include a five figure sum of damages in favour of our client.

"Our client is a distinguished academic and award-winning filmmaker. We will take all necessary steps to vindicate his position in relation to any defamatory comments made against him (and) will not hesitate to issue legal proceedings where necessary."

Meanwhile, the News Letter has also issued an apology today for libelling Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, former Executive Finance Minister and managing director of Belfast Media Group, in relation to evidence he gave to the RHI Inquiry. 

In a statement published on its website, the paper said:

An article published by the News Letter online on November 7th 2019, under the headline 'IRA Army Council still oversees Sinn Fein strategy - PSNI says 2015 assessment unchanged', contained an incorrect picture caption. The picture caption inaccurately stated that the then Minister of Finance, Martin (sic) Ṍ (sic) Muilleoir, had been questioned at the RHI public inquiry on his communications with unelected senior IRA figures at a key time in the RHI saga. In fact, the caption should have stated that the individuals were senior Republicans. We apologise to Mr Muilleoir (sic) for the error, and have agreed to publish this apology and to pay compensation to Mr Ṍ (sic) Muilleoir."

Mr Ó Muilleoir later Tweeted acceptance of the apology.