FORMER SINN FÉIN leader Gerry Adams has had a date fixed for his High Court defamation action against the BBC.

Adams (76) claims the BBC falsely alleged he sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson, who worked for decades as a spy for British intelligence, in Glenties, Co Donegal in 2006.

The case, which is to take place on 29 April, 2025, in the Four Courts in Dublin, centres on a 2016 BBC Spotlight programme in which he claims the allegation was made.

He claims there was also a follow-up article on the BBC website in which the same defamatory allegation was made. 

Adams denies any suggestion that he had anything to do with Mr Donaldson’s death.  

The BBC denies defamation and claims the programme and publication were put out in good faith and during the course of discussion on a subject of public and vital interest. 

The BBC says the programme constituted responsible journalism that was the result of careful investigation.

At the High Court today, Mr Justice Alexander Owens said the case was specially fixed for 29 April, 2025, and the court heard that it was ready to go on. 

The case is expected to last up to three weeks.

In October, Hugh McDowell BL, representing the BBC, told the court that a number of witnesses would be involved in the case and some would have to travel from overseas.

The case had been delayed by hearings on preliminary issues and over the discovery of documents.

In July 2020, Mr Justice Charles Meenan directed the BBC to make discovery of the various categories of documents Adams claimed he needed for his case.

A separate application by Adams seeking an order that the BBC provide further and better particulars of all material facts in support of the allegations was refused by the judge. 

The BBC said these matters would be dealt with as part of the evidence in the case.

In March 2022, the High Court dismissed a bid by Adams to strike out parts of the BBC’s defence against his defamation action.