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Copy of Monica Leech/Martin Cullen episode of Liveline?

  • 02-03-2010 9:59pm
    #1
    shanofin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69 ✭✭


    Anyone know where I could listen to/download the infamous phone call on Liveline referring to Monica Leech/Martin Cullen?

    Cheers...


Comments

  • #2
    JonathanAnon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 23,718 ✭✭✭✭JonathanAnon


    Had a quick google and couldnt find much.. From the article below, it's from December 16th 2004. It's not on the podcast, nothing on youtube and I would doubt that RTE will provide you with a copy as it contains slanderous material. I would say that you will have to try and find someone who home recorded it.

    Leech wins €250,000 and apology from RTE

    FORMER government adviser Monica Leech yesterday won €250,000, legal costs and an apology from RTE following remarks made by a caller to Joe Duffy's Liveline show.The full cost of the libel action is estimated to be €700,000.The €250,000 award is believed to be one of the highest out-of-court libel settlements reached by a plaintiff in recent years.
    Ms Leech's costs are expected to exceed €200,000.Although dwarfed by the recent €750,000 jury award handed down to entrepreneur Denis O'Brien, the Leech sum is closer to the the previous highest award for libel, which was £300,000 paid to former Democratic Left leader Proinsias De Rossa.
    Yesterday, a jury was empanelled to hear the Leech libel case, which was expected to last for four days.

    High Court Judge Peter Charleton called upon jurors to have "an abundance of common sense" in deciding the action, but after four hours of talks between the sides, the jury was told that the action had been settled.
    RTE accepted that PR consultant Monica Leech was "gravely wronged" by allegations contained in remarks made by a caller to Liveline.
    Ms Leech, who earned more than €300,000 for her work as a communications adviser to Environment Minister Martin Cullen, heard the Liveline broadcast on her car radio in December 2004.Counsel for RTE, Patrick Gageby read out an apology in court to Ms Leech, which said that the station had broadcast a discussion on its Liveline programme on December 16, 2004 part of which related to Mrs Monica Leech, a well-known communications consultant.

    Comments, it said, were made during the course of the discussion suggesting that Mrs Leech had secured well-paid State contracts by virtue of having an adulterous sexual relationship with Minister Martin Cullen."RTE accepts that these allegations were simply untrue and that Mrs Leech was gravely wronged by them.RTE further acknowledges her experience and qualifications for the contracts she undertook," it said.The statement continued: "RTE again apologises unreservedly for the undoubted distress that these comments caused her, her husband and her family."RTE in particular regrets that any contributor should have abused an opportunity to participate in one of its programmes." Outside the court, Ms Leech, who was accompanied by her husband John and two sons, said she was very satisfied with the outcome.

    She said she was disappointed that it had taken RTE over two years to say it was sorry. She thanked her husband, sons and extended family for their unfailing love and support during the last "difficult two years". Ms Leech had sued RTE for damages after comments made by a caller to the early afternoon show.She also sought damages including aggravated and/or exemplary damages for libel along with special damages including loss of earnings.

    Ms Leech, a self-employed communications consultant, of Otteran Place, South Parade, Waterford, claimed she heard the broadcast live while driving in her car and was extremely shocked, distraught and shaken.She claimed her son was bullied and teased at school because of the broadcast and returned home in tears.It was claimed that in November and December 2004, Ms Leech was the subject of prominent and sustained media coverage by RTE and other media organs.The action arose out of a comment from a punter on the Liveline programme on December 16, 2004.Joe Duffy cut the line straight away and apologised on air.

    Interview with the guy who called in on this website.

    http://www.soldiersofdestiny.org/monicaleechsaga.htm

    I'd say he has a copy :-)


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