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ARTICLE · 09 MARCH 2026

Defamation (Amendment) Act 2026 – Key Reforms Commence 1 March 2026

Arthur Cox
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Following the enactment of the Defamation (Amendment) Act 2026 (the "Act") on 19 February 2026...

IrelandLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Keith Smith
Keith Smith
Conall O'Shaughnessy
Conall O'Shaughnessy
Amelia Walsh
Amelia Walsh
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Edel Curry
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Emily Dornan
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Following the enactment of the Defamation (Amendment) Act 2026 (the "Act") on 19 February 2026, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan, signed the Defamation (Amendment) Act (Commencement) Order 2026 on 25 February 2026.

The commencement order provides for a number of the Act's key substantive reforms to come into operation on 1 March 2026, which will mark a significant milestone in the overhaul of Irish defamation law.

As outlined in a Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration press release, the provisions to be commenced include reforms relating to:

  • the role of juries in High Court defamation proceedings;
  • the statutory jurisdiction of the Circuit Court to make orders requiring the identification of anonymous posters of defamatory material;

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