The publisher of the Mail on Sunday has brought legal proceedings to stop the widow and son of the murdered Belfast solicitor, Mr Pat Finucane, from suing the newspaper for libel in the Dublin High Court.
Mrs Geraldine Finucane and her children, Michael, John and Catherine, have sued the newspaper over an article published on July 30th, 2000, and entitled "Fury at BBC film showing the IRA as heroes".
The article related to a forthcoming BBC programme about Dermot and Seamus Finucane, two of the murdered solicitor's brothers.
Among other material, it stated that the BBC had "caused a political uproar" over the proposed programme and that the programme would cover the Finucanes' involvement in the Troubles from 1969, the death of their older brother, Patrick, killed by loyalist gunmen, and the family's support for the deaths of British soldiers."
Yesterday Mr Justice Quirke heard that the Mail on Sunday had apologised in other proceedings to the wife and daughter of Mr Dermot Finucane in relation to the article.
Mr Eoin McCullough SC, for Associated Newspapers plc, publisher of the Mail on Sunday, said he understood that the libel claim by the late Pat Finucane's family would particularly relate to that part of the sentence ". . . and the family's support for the deaths of British soldiers".
His client had brought a motion challenging the jurisdcition of the High Court to hear the proceedings brought on behalf of Mrs Finucane and her son, John, both of whom were resident in Northern Ireland.
No such motion had been brought regarding the claim by Michael and Catherine Finucane, who were resident in the Republic.
Mr McCullough argued that as Mrs Finucane and John Finucane resided in Northern Ireland, there was no jurisdiction to hear their claim here.
He said his client disputed their claim that their reputation here had been damaged and contended they had no reputation here sufficient to ground their claim.
The hearing of the application concluded yesterday, and Mr Justice Quirke said he would give judgment this afternoon.