State Archives: Department concerned about Bernie Murphy libel case

The Department of Foreign Affairs was extremely concerned in the late 1980s that its staff would get dragged into a libel action taken by a colourful councillor from Cork against a Sunday newspaper over its coverage of a trip he had taken to the US for a new set of false teeth.

State papers released under the 30-years rule show department officials feared Ireland’s consul general in San Francisco at the time, Brian Nason, could become a central figure in any court case as well as the risk that the State or Mr Nason would also be sued for defamation.