Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 30 JULY 2025

A Tale Of Two Courts: Why Defamation Cases Are Diverging In Ireland

RDJ LLP
RDJ LLP
Contributor
RDJ LLP

RDJ LLP

RDJ is one of Ireland’s leading corporate law firms. With more than 300 employees and offices in...

View firm profile
Explore more from RDJ LLP

On 7 July 2025, the Courts Service published its Annual Report for the year 2024, which included key statistics concerning defamation claims in Ireland for the years 2023 and 2024.

IrelandLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Stephanie Coughlan
Stephanie Coughlan
Darryl Broderick
Darryl Broderick
Author LinkedIn connections

On 7 July 2025, the Courts Service published its Annual Report for the year 2024, which included key statistics concerning defamation claims in Ireland for the years 2023 and 2024. This insight examines the broader trends in defamation litigation over the past ten years and considers why defamation cases have declined in recent years and why more claimants are issuing in the Circuit Court. It will also look at trends in proceedings against online entities.

A Decade in Review: Key Defamation Statistics from 10 years of Court Service Annual Reports

Proceedings issued by year

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
High Court 182 212 133

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

New High Court Practice Direction On The Responsible Use Of GenAI In Court Documents

The High Court has issued a new Practice Direction governing the use of generative AI in litigation, establishing mandatory disclosure requirements for affidavits, witness statements and expert reports. Legal practitioners must now ensure all AI-generated content is verified, accurate and compliant with professional obligations, with significant sanctions for non-compliance including costs orders and potential referral to regulatory authorities.
IrelandLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Arthur Cox
Arthur Cox
Article

Raising The Bar: Irish Supreme Court Confirms “strong Case” Test For Pre-trial Stays Of Regulatory Decisions

Ireland's Supreme Court has established a significantly higher threshold for obtaining interim stays on regulatory decisions that affect broad public interests. Companies challenging decisions by bodies like the Data Protection Commission must now demonstrate a "strong case" likely to succeed at trial, rather than merely an "arguable case," before courts will even consider granting temporary relief.
IrelandLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Matheson
Matheson
Article

Gatekeeping Justice: What 153 Supreme Court Determinations In 2025 Tell Us About Likely Trends For 2026

This article examines the Supreme Court's evolving role following Ireland's 2014 constitutional amendment, analyzing how the establishment of the Court of Appeal transformed the Supreme Court into a specialized tribunal for cases of exceptional public importance. Through a comprehensive review of 153 determinations made in 2025, the analysis explores the criteria for securing leave to appeal and identifies emerging trends in the application of the "Karshan factor" for leapfrog appeals.
IrelandLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
McCann FitzGerald LLP
McCann FitzGerald LLP
Article

EU Introduces Mandatory Withdrawal Button For Online Consumer Contracts

The EU's new withdrawal button requirement will fundamentally reshape how online traders interact with consumers across member states. From June 2026, businesses offering digital contracts must implement a two-step withdrawal function that allows consumers to exercise their 14-day cooling-off period with unprecedented ease. What technical, operational, and legal changes must traders implement to meet these obligations, and what are the consequences of non-compliance?
IrelandConsumer Protection
RDJ LLP
RDJ LLP
Article

Rental Law Update: Recent Enactments Under The Housing And Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026

Ireland's residential tenancies regime has undergone further significant reform through the Housing and Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026, introducing new enforcement mechanisms and procedural changes that landlords must navigate. The RTB now wields expanded powers including fixed payment notices for compliance breaches, while adjudication hearings have shifted to public forums with published outcomes.
IrelandReal Estate and Construction
RDJ LLP
RDJ LLP
Article

Greenwashing Enforcement Has Arrived: What The EU's New Fast Fashion Rules Signal For All Consumer-Facing Businesses

The EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation has banned the destruction of unsold apparel and footwear from July 2026, forcing retailers to pivot from recycling and disposal to donation, resale and reuse strategies. With mandatory public reporting on unsold stock disposal and stricter policing of environmental marketing claims now in force, consumer-facing businesses across Ireland and the EU face a fundamental shift in how they manage inventory, report waste, and communicate sustainability creden
IrelandEnvironment
RDJ LLP
RDJ LLP
Article

Neurodivergence And Reasonable Accommodation: What Employers Need To Know

Employers face growing challenges in supporting neurodivergent employees, with up to 20% of the global population potentially affected by conditions like ASD, ADHD, and dyslexia. Irish law mandates reasonable accommodations under the Employment Equality Acts, but what constitutes appropriate measures and when does the burden become disproportionate? Recent case law reveals the narrow interpretation of employer defenses and the significant financial consequences of failing to properly assess and implement wo
IrelandEmployment and HR
RDJ LLP
RDJ LLP