EnactedStage in the legislative process — click for what it means67/2024Official bill number / year
Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024
- Sponsor
- Minister for Justice
- Introduced
- 2 Aug 2024
- Last updated
- 27 Feb 2026
What this bill doesAI · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001
- Abolishes jury trials in High Court defamation actions for cases started after the Bill's commencement; removes related jury references from the Defamation Act 2009.
- Introduces protections against strategic lawsuits targeting public participation: allows courts to declare proceedings abusive, expedites strike-out applications, and permits enhanced cost awards against plaintiffs.
- Requires solicitors to inform clients of alternative dispute resolution options (Press Council, broadcast right of reply) before issuing defamation proceedings where applicable.
Stage timelineWhat do these stages mean?
- First Stage33rd Dáil2 Aug 2024
- Second Stage33rd Dáil19 Sep 2024
- Committee Stage34th Dáil29 Apr 2025
- Report Stage34th Dáil30 Apr 2025
- Fifth Stage34th Dáil2 Jul 2025
- Second Stage27th Seanad2 Jul 2025
- Committee Stage27th Seanad9 Jul 2025
- Report Stage27th Seanad21 Jan 2026
- Fifth Stage27th Seanad21 Jan 2026
- Cream List34th Dáil11 Feb 2026
- Enacted19 Feb 2026
Debates
- From the Seanad11 Feb 2026
- Report and Final Stages21 Jan 2026
- Committee Stage (Resumed)17 Dec 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)11 Dec 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)3 Dec 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)18 Nov 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)12 Nov 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)22 Oct 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)15 Oct 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)9 Oct 2025
- Committee Stage (Resumed)1 Oct 2025
- Committee Stage17 Jul 2025
- Second Stage9 Jul 2025
- Report Stage2 Jul 2025
- Committee Stage30 Apr 2025
- Second Stage19 Sep 2024
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