ANALYSIS: High Court clarification a victory for democracy

Today’s High Court clarification by Justice Donald Binchy that an injunction originally granted to Mr Denis O’Brien did not restrict the free reporting of a speech made in the Dáil is an important victory for democracy, suggests constitutional law lecturer Dr Laura Cahillane.

Confusion over the remit of an injunction granted to prevent a broadcast by RTE relating to the personal banking affairs of Mr Denis O’Brien led to a situation whereby Ireland’s media felt constrained in reporting on comments made in the houses of the Oireachtas.

While the situation was dubbed a “constitutional crisis” by some, the decision by Mr Justice Binchy today was essentially one of common sense.