Whaaa?
08/05/07 22:25 Filed in: Politics
What sort
of libel laws do we have where Monica Leech can
be awarded €250k in her case against
RTE?
If an RTE reporter stood outside the Department of Transport and made the allegation in question live on the 9 o'clock news, the it might be justified. But what happened was that a caller to Joe Duffy's Liveline made a lewd remark regarding Ms Leech and Minister Martin Cullen. The caller was cut off straight away, and Duffy and RTE distanced themselves from the comment immediately.
Were RTE at fault? Maybe, for not screening the callers. But as the person who made the allegation had no connection with RTE, then surely this award is excessive.
A few thousand at most would have been more appropriate.
If an RTE reporter stood outside the Department of Transport and made the allegation in question live on the 9 o'clock news, the it might be justified. But what happened was that a caller to Joe Duffy's Liveline made a lewd remark regarding Ms Leech and Minister Martin Cullen. The caller was cut off straight away, and Duffy and RTE distanced themselves from the comment immediately.
Were RTE at fault? Maybe, for not screening the callers. But as the person who made the allegation had no connection with RTE, then surely this award is excessive.
A few thousand at most would have been more appropriate.