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award damages to those who have been subject to abuse of court proceedings against public participation. This transposes Article 15 of the anti-SLAPP directive, which requires member states to make provision for effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties or other equally effective appropriate measures, including the payment … compensation for damages or the publication of the court decision on the party that brought the SLAPP proceedings. Section 34H provides that damages may be awarded only where a court has declared the proceedings in question to be abuse of court proceedings against public participation under section

clear about why I think they are important. There is a lot in this Bill that deserves support, such as the anti-SLAPP measures, which are welcome and necessary. Protecting people who speak out in the public interest is a step in the right direction, but a provision … this amendment, which many of us are supporting, would reflect that same principle. The Bill already brings in some reforms, including the anti-SLAPP protections, clearer defences and a more structured approach to damages. These are really good changes and will make a difference, and they should

Bill. If people maliciously use the court system to intimidate people from speaking truth to power, so-called strategic lawsuits against public participation, SLAPP, it is absolutely right that they would be held to account. That is why we will be supporting the provisions in that regard … concern around the narrative of this whole issue. The Minister acknowledged on Committee Stage that Ireland does not have a big issue with SLAPP. We have had an issue in the past in respect of high awards. The awards were substantially too high. This sense that newspapers

commencement of the Act. Amendment No. 2 simply clarifies that different provisions of Part 4A, which deals with transposition of the EU anti-SLAPP directive, can be commenced at different times

Minister could have said that he had addressed many of the concerns that existed within our defamation laws, particularly the potential use of SLAPPs, through one of the first Bills he brought through the House and that he had the full support of the House in so doing

Migration the progression of the Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024 as committed to in the Programme for Government; how this will provide safeguards against SLAPP (strategic lawsuits against public participation) suits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42398/25