Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2014

Public bill · Private Member · Introduced

Public bodies would still be able to sue for defamation, but the courts could award them no more than €1 in general damages. The restriction would cover Government departments, State-controlled organisations, bodies created by law, and certain hospitals and health services; it would also apply on appeal. Courts and juries would have to take the limit into account when setting damages, alongside whether the publisher offered a reasonable correction. The aim is to protect press and public comment by reducing the risk that publicly funded bodies could use defamation claims to discourage criticism.

Formal long title

Bill entitled an Act to provide for limiting the damages certain public bodies may receive in defamation actions so as to protect public discourse from public bodies using the resources of the State, and the powers granted to them by the Defamation Act 2009, to influence comment by the press and the public

Last updated 12 April 2018