On Air Now

Kildare Today - Repeat

10:00pm - Midnight

  • 045 901490
  • 0833 979797

Now Playing

The Coronas

Mark My Words

Reforms To Ireland's Defamation Laws Will Clamp Down On Libel Tourism

Stock image: Shutterstock

There will also be a reformed defence of defamation

Reforms to Ireland's defamation laws are set to be approved by the Cabinet this morning.

The changes will make it easier to secure a court order to identify anonymous online accounts.

The Defamation Amendment Bill will give the Circuit Court the power to issue orders to identify the author behind anonymous accounts who defame someone online.

At present only the High Court can do this, making it cheaper to access.

The proposed reforms would abolish juries in High Court defamation cases and ensure if someone is defamed, a correction must be given equal prominence in the publication.

There will be measures to address libel tourism, where people defamed online take the case in Ireland in the hopes of a higher payout.

There will also be a reformed defence of defamation when it happens during a live broadcast and the presenter took steps to prevent it.

The new law also intends to take account of strategic lawsuits against public participation, where a person or group takes a libel case hoping to discourage others from talking about them, sending a chilling factor into society.

Justice Minister Simon Harris is bringing the proposals to Cabinet and will tell his colleagues the right to free speech needs to be balanced with the right to a good name.
 

More from National News

Stay tuned to Kfm!

Get the Kfm Apps for you phone, tablet or smart speaker...

Kfm Kildare Weather

  • Tue

    Sunny

    7°C

  • Wed

    Low-level cloud

    5°C

  • Thu

    Medium-level cloud

    10°C

  • Fri

    Medium-level cloud

    13°C

  • Sat

    Low-level cloud

    15°C