Judge rules defamation claim by Eoghan Harris against journalist be heard by High Court

The former Sunday Independent columnist has claimed in proceedings he brought before the Circuit Court that he was defamed in a tweet posted by Aoife Moore about him in early May 2021.

Aoife Moore and another journalist, Allison Morris, have brought separate High Court proceedings against Eoghan Harris (pictured) claiming that they were defamed in posts on a Twitter account called ”Barbara J. Pym”, allegedly operated by Mr Harris and others on dates between 2020 and 2021. File photo: Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

A judge has dismissed an appeal by former Sunday Independent columnist Eoghan Harris against the Circuit Court's decision to transfer his defamation action against journalist Aoife Moore to the High Court.

In his ruling, Mr Justice Paul Burns, confirming the transfer of Mr Harris's case to the High Court, said that the matters to be addressed in both Mr Harris's action against Ms Moore and her defamation claim against him should be “tried at the same time in the same venue by the same court”. 

Mr Harris has claimed in proceedings he brought before the Circuit Court that he was defamed in a tweet posted by Ms Moore about him in early May 2021. He claims that in the post she wrongly accused him of directly sending her sexualised messages on Twitter.

In her defence, she denies defaming Mr Harris in a tweet which she says was posted after it emerged Mr Harris was involved in an account which had posted allegedly defamatory material about her.

Ms Moore and another journalist, Allison Morris, have brought separate High Court proceedings against Mr Harris claiming that they were defamed in posts on a Twitter account called ”Barbara J. Pym”, allegedly operated by Mr Harris and others on dates between 2020 and 2021.

Ms Moore claims that she was defamed in those tweets which she says called into question her journalistic objectivity and that her reporting was partisan in favour of Sinn Féin and the wider republican movement in Ireland. She also claims that the tweets referred to her in a sexualised manner. Mr Harris denies her claims.

Mr Harris's action against Ms Moore was due to be heard before the Circuit Civil Court earlier this year. However, following a pre-trial application by Ms Moore's lawyers before Christmas, Judge John O'Connor ruled that Mr Harris's case should be transferred to the High Court.

Ms Moore, represented by Thomas Hogan SC, and Conan Fegan Bl instructed by Phoenix Law solicitors, claimed that because there was an overlap on the issues surrounding the claims, both cases should be heard together in the High Court.

Represented by Remy Farrell SC appearing with Hugh McDowell Bl, and instructed by solicitor Robert Dore, Mr Harris had argued that his case should be heard separately and before a judge of the Circuit Court.

Today's ruling

In his ruling, confirming the Circuit Court’s decision, Mr Justice Burns directed that, upon transfer to the High Court, both sets of proceedings should be listed before the judge in charge of the Defamation List for case management. An application that the two claims be tried together should also be made.

Having considered the particular circumstances of each set of proceedings and especially the circumstances of the Circuit Court proceedings, the judge said that the High Court is the more appropriate tribunal to determine the matters raised in the Circuit Court proceedings.

The judge said that he was satisfied that there is “a significant linkage and overlap between the two sets of proceedings”. The complexity of the issues involved makes the High Court “a more appropriate tribunal,” the judge said.

The judge also said that if the matters were not tried at the same time in the same venue by the same court that such a multiplicity of proceedings would add to costs and take up more valuable court time than would otherwise be the case. The judge added that he also accepted the undertaking given by Ms Moore’s lawyers that the proceedings will be prosecuted with expedition.

He awarded the costs of the appeal before him in favour of Ms Moore but placed a stay on the execution of the costs order pending the outcome of the cases.