Former Sinn Féin Leader Adams Donates €100,000 BBC Defamation Damages to Charities

Gerry Adams has donated the €100,000 defamation damages awarded to him by a High Court jury against the BBC to various charitable causes. The defamation case arose from a 2016 BBC Spotlight programme and an accompanying online article that alleged Adams sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson, a claim the court found defamatory. The donations have been made to organizations including UNICEF for the children of Gaza, local Gaelic Athletic Association groups, a support group for republican prisoners and their families, the Irish language sector, and projects addressing homelessness, youth support, mental health, and suicide prevention in Belfast. The BBC has paid the damages as ordered by the court and was also found not to have acted in good faith, leading to an order to cover Adams' legal costs, which could amount to millions. Adams expressed his intention to use the damages for good causes, and his solicitors confirmed the payments have been made. The BBC's final legal costs have yet to be determined.