Monaghan District Court Judge Sean McBride, made the controversial remark while presiding at a sitting last week when a woman from County Tryone was wrongly summonsed.

Sarah McGrath, (22), had to appear at the court because her details matched another woman's. A technicality meant she had to pay to get the case thrown out.

Judge McBride told her she showed "typical thickness from Tyrone people" because she had only sterling to pay 50 euros in bail money.

His comment was widely reported and there were calls from Tyrone politicians, including the local MP Pat Doherty, for him to apologise. A complaint was also lodged with the Irish Minister for Justice, Dermot Ahern.

Judge McBride, who lives in Inishowen, Co Donegal, now says the "totally inappropriate" remark was made "during a long day's work".

Speaking at Clones District Court today, Judge McBride said: "An interaction occurred last week in Monaghan District Court, which was widely published and which I wish to address.

"During a long day's work, whilst I was trying to assist a lady who was wrongly prosecuted due to mistaken identity, I regret that I passed a comment that was totally inappropriate about Tyrone people.

"This comment was never meant to be offensive as I have nothing but regard for the people of Tyrone, but clearly to those reading the articles it came across otherwise. For this I apologise," his statement added.