Widow’s court bid to halt ‘Nazi’ programme to be heard on Monday
Juliette Folens, whose 86-year-old husband died four years ago, secured an interim injunction this week restraining RTÉ, film production company Tile Films Ltd and a journalist from using material in an interview that her husband gave to a journalist 20 years ago.
Ms Folens is also seeking an order for discovery and inspection, allowing her to see the second and final part of the Hidden Ireland-Ireland’s Nazis series which features her husband.
In court yesterday, Counsel for Ms Folens Michael Cush SC asked that the case be adjourned until all replying affidavits had been filed. He said the RTÉ programme was due to be broadcast on Tuesday night and the case would have to be heard before close of business on Tuesday. Justice Mary Laffoy adjourned the case until Monday.
Mr Folens had given the seven-minute taped interview to Senan Molony 20 years ago when Mr Molony worked for the Sunday Tribune. Parts of this tape are to be featured in Tuesday’s programme. Mr Folens founded educational publication company Folens after he moved to Irelandfollowing the Second World War.
His widow said in a statement this week: “I can testify that, contrary to what is being alleged, my husband never committed any war crimes whatsoever, was never a member of the Nazi Party and never a member of the Gestapo.”
She said she and her family “were outraged and extremely angry” at what they regarded as false allegations.
At the initial hearing, counsel for Ms Folens, John Rogers SC, said a representative of the newspaper, Mr Maloney and Mr Folens signed an agreement that allowed Mr Folens to see any article before it was published and gave the interviewee the right of reply.
Ms Folens is seeking the injunction restraining the defendants from using, broadcasting and publishing the interview, other than in accordance with the terms of the agreement in 1987.
