RTÉ and Green trustee must each pay own costs

RTÉ and Green Party trustee Tom Kivlehan must each pay their own costs of his failed challenge to the broadcaster’s exclusion of Green Party leader Eamon Ryan from a televised party leaders debate during the general election, a High Court judge has ruled.

The case raised important issues relating to the “singular and unique” role of the media under the Constitution in educating and informing the public in the democratic process, Ms Justice Marie Baker said.

The case arose after Eamon Ryan was not invited to participate in a debate, broadcast on RTÉ One on February 15, because the Green Party did not meet a requirement set by RTÉ for participation in such debates of having three TDs in the outgoing Dáil.