Irish Examiner view: New bill to reform Irish defamation law is a step in the right direction

Lawyers note the growing number of plaintiffs availing of Irish courts, suggesting that 'defamation tourism' could be an issue

Justice Minister Simon Harris announcing the publication of the General Scheme of the Defamation (Amendment) Bill yesterday. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

The fact that Minister for Justice Simon Harris is seeking Cabinet approval for draft legislation to overhaul Ireland’s defamation laws is a step in the right direction.

Those who might see this as special pleading on behalf of a particular industry are missing the point. For instance, one of the aims of the new legislation is to tackle “defamation tourism”, as this newspaper stated yesterday.