Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I took the initiative. I went to my solicitor and immediately corrected my affidavit. I was not forced or pressed to do this. I did so of my own volition because I became aware that my original affidavit was wrong. I openly acknowledged and apologised for my mistake and agreed a settlement in which the other party accepted that there was no intention to mislead.

What has happened in this instance was that the evidence I gave to the court was mistaken. Evidence and testimony is regularly corrected in courts without allegations and assertions of lying and perjury being levelled. People in all walks of life have been obliged to correct testimony they gave in written and oral statements. There is nothing unusual or pernicious in this.

As has been pointed out frequently in recent days, I have legal qualifications and am supposed to know about these matters or, at least, I hope I do. Is it even the slightest bit reasonable to imagine that I would have deliberately or maliciously made a false statement-----

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