A High Court hearing scheduled for Wednesday was averted after the Women's Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI) and Féile an Phobail reached an agreement that ends legal proceedings over a cancelled panel discussion.

The discussion, titled Respect, Rights and Reality, was originally due to take place at St Mary's University College in west Belfast on 4 August as part of the Féile an Phobail programme. The festival withdrew the event after concluding that it would promote campaigns against the rights of the transgender community.

WRN NI initiated legal action, arguing that the cancellation was a breach of contract. Court papers submitted to the High Court in Belfast described the move as wrongful and a fundamental breach.

At the High Court on Wednesday, the judge congratulated both parties for reaching a resolution in a difficult and emotive domain. Under the terms of the settlement, Féile an Phobail has agreed to meet with WRN NI to discuss possible participation in future festivals. The Respect, Rights and Reality event will now go ahead on 4 August at an alternative venue, with further details to be announced.

In a statement, Féile an Phobail said its decision to withdraw the event from the programme stands and described the outcome as a vindication of its position in standing up for those who are marginalised. The festival added that it would continue to provide a voice for the marginalised as it prepares to welcome visitors to west Belfast for Ireland's largest community festival.

WRN NI said it was delighted to have brought the legal proceedings to an end and welcomed the opportunity for continued engagement. The group stated that its priority remains bringing conversations about women's sex-based rights into festivals, workplaces, homes and communities, and it noted that a separate judicial review involving the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland is expected later this year.

Stormont Culture Minister Gordon Lyons criticised Féile an Phobail for accepting public money to platform debate but then withdrawing the event when it encountered views it did not like. He said the festival dropped the event after an online campaign.

A separate legal challenge has been threatened by the UK charity Sex Matters, which argues that the festival's actions were discriminatory. That case is based on discrimination law rather than the contractual dispute resolved in the High Court on Wednesday.