An investigative reporter is to receive undisclosed damages after suing her own professional union for libel.

Suzanne Breen also received an apology and retraction as part of a settlement reached in her case against the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

Ms Breen issued defamation proceedings after the NUJ's magazine published a piece commenting on her stance on protecting sources in her stories about the Real IRA.

It appeared after she won a legal battle in June 2009 with the police seeking to make her surrender information on the dissident republican organisation.

A jury at the High Court in Belfast was set to hear her libel action against the union which she has been a member of for more than 20 years.

But following negotiations the judge was told a resolution had been reached.

Outside the court Ms Breen said: “It's been an extremely stressful time for myself. I'm |delighted it's all over and very pleased with the outcome.”