Defamation awards push Ireland down press freedom index
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Ireland’s press freedom ranking has fallen as a result of high defamation awards by the Irish courts and proposed Government legislation.
Reporters Without Borders placed Ireland 16th in the 2018 Word Press Freedom Index, down from 14th in 2017.
The NGO said the “highly concentrated nature of media ownership in Ireland” contributed to Ireland’s two-place fall in the index.
However, it also highlighted the “high damages awarded by Irish courts in defamation cases” and calls for defamation reform.
Reporters Without Borders also noted that the general scheme of the Communications (Retention of Data) Bill “has been criticised for failing to provide specific protections for journalists”.
The Garda Síochána Act 2005 is also mentioned for making it “virtually impossible” for journalists to interview police sources.
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