Defamation

It’s only words: The fight to thaw the chilling effect of Ireland’s restrictive defamation laws

There is strong support for reform of this country’s defamation laws. Media organisations have long struggled to publish certain stories, fearing punitive costs and damages. There are now signs that this may change, but there are also fears that privacy laws are increasingly being used to stifle the public’s right to know

Defamation law is an expensive business, and numerous publications have been significantly affected by the cost of such cases. Illustration: Getty