Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 22 JULY 2026

The SLAPP Bill 2026 – New Procedural Safeguards For Defendants

Matheson
Explore more from Matheson

Ireland's new Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation Bill 2026 introduces comprehensive protections against abusive litigation designed to silence journalists, activists, and citizens exercising their right to public participation. The legislation empowers courts to swiftly dismiss meritless claims, impose costs and damages on plaintiffs, and provides mechanisms to address cross-border SLAPP proceedings.

IrelandLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Julie Murphy-O'Connor
Julie Murphy-O'Connor
Connor Cassidy
Connor Cassidy
Maeve Delargy
Maeve Delargy
Michael Byrne
Michael Byrne
Ruadhan Kenny
Ruadhan Kenny
Erica Heslin
Erica Heslin
Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Róisín Peart
Róisín Peart
Author LinkedIn connections

The Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation Bill 2026 (the “SLAPP Bill”) was introduced into the Irish parliament on 1 July 2026.

It represents Ireland’s implementation of Directive (EU) 2024/1069 (the “Anti-SLAPP Directive“) and applies broadly to civil and commercial proceedings. It is aimed at protecting journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens as well as organisations from baseless, intimidating lawsuits designed to silence them (rather than to obtain justice). It empowers the court to swiftly dismiss meritless claims and to make costs and damages awards against the plaintiffs, as well as granting declaratory relief.

Whilst the safeguards in the SLAPP Bill do not apply exclusively to defamation proceedings, in the context of defamation specifically, the SLAPP Bill supersedes and significantly expands upon the anti-SLAPP provisions that had been introduced by Part 7 of the Defamation (Amendment) Act 2026, which were withheld from commencement pending the introduction

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

High Court Upholds Letters Rogatory Despite Non-disclosure At Ex Parte Stage

The Irish High Court has clarified the standards for material non-disclosure in ex parte Letters Rogatory applications, examining when procedural omissions warrant setting aside judicial assistance orders. This decision explores the balance between full disclosure obligations and the court's discretion to maintain orders where non-disclosure was inadvertent and no prejudice resulted.
GlobalLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Arthur Cox
Arthur Cox
Article

Representative Actions In Ireland: New Rules, First Judgment

Ireland's new High Court rules establish a clear procedural framework for representative consumer actions, while the landmark ICCL v Microsoft case clarifies key questions about admissibility requirements and the burden of proof under GDPR. These developments provide businesses and qualified entities with greater certainty about how collective redress claims will be conducted, though significant cost barriers remain despite the new court fee exemption.
IrelandLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Arthur Cox
Arthur Cox