Column
Anton Savage: While everyone has a right to defend their reputation, lawyering up should be the last – not first – resort
There are many options when seeking resolution to a complaint, including approaching a newspaper or broadcaster directly, contacting the Press Council, writing a letter to the Ombudsman or sending a missive to the Media Commission
Sinn Féin TD Chris Andrews is currently in the process of suing the Irish Times corporately and Harry McGee personally. He may also be in the process of discovering that libel suits are usually best avoided. They are the public profile version of fixed defences in warfare: costly, time-consuming and labour-intensive – and when they fail, the results are catastrophic.
In World War II, the Germans used fixed defences along the coast of northern France. ...
