Economist Joseph Stiglitz cannot be called as expert witness on behalf of Irish Times in defamation action

Businessman Dermot Desmond is suing the newspaper claiming he was defamed when he was linked to companies which dealt with the law firm whose data was leaked during the 2016 Panama Papers controversy

Dermot Desmond says that by publishing this article among a collection of articles about the Panama Papers, the Irish Times was including him among fraudsters, drug dealers and criminals and that is what makes it defamatory. File picture: Healy Racing.

Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz cannot be called to give evidence on behalf of a newspaper being sued by businessman Dermot Desmond, the High Court has ruled.

The proposed evidence of Dr Stiglitz is not relevant to any issue which must be decided in the defamation case Mr Desmond is bringing against the Irish Times, Mr Justice Alexander Owens said.