RTÉ has said it is too early to say if it will apologise to the former Progressive Democrats leader, Mr Des O'Malley, for claims made on a Prime Time programme relating to the 1970 Arms Trial.
An RTÉ spokesman said the station had enormous respect for Mr O'Malley and was sorry for the delay in arriving at a conclusion, but that the matter was extremely complex.
Yesterday the Sunday Tribune reported that the former minister would sue RTÉ if it did not apologise for claims that he or one of his officials tampered with a crucial witness statement when he was minister for justice.
Prime Time suggested that a statement from the former military intelligence director, Col Michael Hefferon, may have been changed before it was seen by the prosecution's legal team.
Suggestions that the then minister for defence, Mr Jim Gibbons, was aware of the plan to import arms were removed from the statement.
However, last month The Irish Times reported that newly-discovered State papers had put paid to this theory. The papers showed that the changes were made by the prosecution team before the trial.
Yesterday Mr O'Malley told The Irish Times that his position had been vindicated 18 months ago, but "the penny is only beginning to drop now for some people". He said he assumed RTÉ would apologise but, if not, he would be forced to sue. He was not looking for money but was determined to protect his reputation.
He said he would write today to the RTÉ director general to seek an apology.
An RTÉ spokesman said the station was awaiting Mr O'Malley's letter and was also trying to get more information from the Broadcasting Complaints Commission on why it upheld a complaint that the programme did not fulfil expected standards of objectivity and impartiality.
