MR Dunphy agreed with counsel for Mr Proinsias De Rossa that he had described a tendency towards a certain type of journalism in the Sunday Independent as a "cancer".
But he told Mr Adrian Hardiman SC that he believed Independent Newspapers had rendered a great service to this country.
One of its strengths was that he was not scared after what he had said in a Hot Press interview, in which he had said the group had exploited the demise of other newspapers to strengthen its own base. He had said it elsewhere and he wasn't sacked. He was allowed to criticise the group and place it under scrutiny.
He had not toed a line. All kinds of people, representing the full spectrum of Irish opinion, were free to work in the group. It was the last place in the country where one could still express an honest point of view.
Mr Hardiman asked if there was "cancer" in Independent Newspapers.
Mr Dunphy said he had used that phrase in relation to Independent Newspapers quite recently.
Mr Hardiman asked if there was a cancer in the Sunday In dependent. Mr Dunphy said he had described a tendency in the Sunday Independent towards certain journalism as a cancer.
Mr Hardiman put it to Mr Dunphy that he had said it was pernicious, evil and hurt people, and that he had also referred to the "Duckworth School".
Mr Dunphy said he had not used that phrase; it was a phrase from Phoenix magazine. He had not said the Sunday Independent was going into decline because of the Duckworth School, but he had said the substantial thing that Mr Hardiman was putting to him.
Asked who the people were who were practising this cancer, Mr Dunphy said he would not like to quickly respond. "I would say it is in a part of the paper that has to do with lifestyles and features and gossip."