The Irish Examiner newspaper has apologised to Ryanair in the High Court for articles published about the airline's safety record in May 2015.

The newspaper also agreed to make a donation to a charity chosen by Ryanair.

The court heard that the Examiner published a front page article on 8 May 2015, under the headline "Ryanair contract practice a threat to safety".

The article was also published online.

On the same date a further article entitled "Bogus contracts blamed for pilot fatigue and safety fears" was published in print and online.

Both articles were also promoted on Twitter.

In the apology read by Senior Counsel Eoin McCullough for the Irish Examiner, the newspaper said it acknowledged Ryanair's industry leading safety record and the Irish Aviation Authority's independent confirmation that the airline fully complied with European and international regulations in all of its operations, as well as the confirmation that Ryanair's safety standards were on a par with the safest airlines in Europe.

Mr McCullough said the Examiner apologised for the damage caused by the publication and had agreed to make a donation to the Jack and Jill Children's Foundation, a charity chosen by the airline.

In a statement afterwards, Ryanair said it was very satisfied with the "total vindication" it had received following the comprehensive retraction and apology.

It was also satisfied with the defendants' acknowledgement of Ryanair's unsurpassed safety record, spanning three decades.