The Minister for European Affairs, Claremorris native Lucinda Creighton has apologised to Cork property developer Michael O'Flynn as part of a settlement of his High Court defamation action against her.

The 55 year old father of four sued the Junior Minister over a speech she gave to the McGill summer school and over comments she made in subsequent media interviews in July 2010 on standards in public life.

Leaving court Michael O'Flynn said he was very happy that the damage caused to his good name by Lucinda Creighton's very public comments in her speech at Glenties and in subsequent interviews with RTE and The Irish Times had been recognised in these court proceedings.