Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 5

Written Answers. - Civil Law of Defamation.

Kathleen Lynch

Ceist:

50 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Equality and Law Reform the progress, if any, he has made in the consideration of the proposals of the Law Reform Commission regarding the civil law of defamation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15645/95]

Minister for Equality and Law Reform (Mr. Taylor)

As indicated in reply to questions on several occasions, my Department is committed to a legislative programme which involves fundamental reform in the broad area of family law and equality law. These are the priority areas for me at present and until such time as the necessary progress has been made on them the position remains that attention to certain other areas such as defamation must await further consideration.

While, for example, the reform of our defamation laws is a subject of particular interest to the newspaper industry, there is a need to carefully consider the extent to which the right of persons to defend and vindicate their good name can and should be modified by way of reform. The report of the Law Reform Commission will be among the matters of assistance to the Government when it comes to making decisions on policy changes in these areas. It is also my intention that in deciding on such important matters the Government might also be in a position to draw on the work of the Commission on the Newspaper Industry which has been established by the Government under very comprehensive terms of reference which include an examination of the laws of defamation as they affect that industry.