Mary Lou MacDonald suing RTE

macvin

I see Mary Lou is joining the compo culture brigade with a defamation lawsuit against RTE.

Geuze

Compo culture surely refers to personal injury claims, not defamation?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118978953#Comment_118978953

I don't know.

The Vardy/Rooney case in the UK is an example of a compo claim, is it not?

There have been many others over the years as well, outrageous defamation cases.

I hope RTE fight this one.

sam t smith

What is she moaning about now?

Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979078#Comment_118979078

What is she suing over?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979331#Comment_118979331

Not clear, something to do with women being abused by Sinn Fein.

Atlantic Dawn

Did she slip on a wet floor in RTE?

Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979743#Comment_118979743

So you don't know but have picked a side.

I hope RTE fight this one.

corner of hells

Neither Mary Lou nor RTE have what case is about , so it's up to us to decide.

I believe Mary Lou has stated Ryan Turbidy is a lizard person or something like that and RTE are denying it.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979804#Comment_118979804

"Ms McDonald’s claim is understood to relate to a discussion on Morning Ireland in February during which reference was made to the treatment of women who were sexually assaulted by members of Sinn Féin and the IRA"

From the Irish Times article, maybe you might for once take back your snide comment.

Hopefully, this goes to court and the whole truth comes out - you are in favour of discovering the truth about women who were allegedly sexually assaulted by members of Sinn Fein and the IRA.

NIMAN

Can anyone with any legal knowledge tell me how exactly SHE was defamed?

I didn't hear the piece, but if she was questioned about females being sexually assaulted by ira members, how can she bring a case? They didn't accused her of anything?

RobbieTheRobber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979852#Comment_118979852

They haven't gone away you know.

The lizard people that is.

Beasty

I've changed the thread title to remove the "Compo culture" reference

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979944#Comment_118979944

How would you know if you didn't hear the flipping thing?

NIMAN

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979973#Comment_118979973

I read about it.

Donald Trump

How very capitalist

KevRossi

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/0426/1294398-mcdonald-rte-action/

The leader of Sinn Féin has initiated legal action against RTÉ.

Mary Lou McDonald has begun legal proceedings against the national broadcaster in the High Court.

It is understood the action relates to a radio interview about a rally organised by the National Women's Council outside Leinster House in early March.

A spokesperson for Sinn Féin said: "This is now a matter in litigation before the courts and it would be inappropriate to comment."

Ms McDonald is being represented by McCartan and Burke solicitors.

A spokesperson for RTÉ said it does not comment on legal matters.

Interesting. From that it's MLMD who is suing RTE, not SF the party as I presumed.

This could get dirty. SF have already mentioned a few times how they want to reform RTE, so this could be the first salvo in a long and messy campaign.

brokenangel

Is anyone surprised? If the media says anything bad about SF expect to be sued in the future

Didnt one member say that SF would shut down RTE because they gave her husband some bad press because of his homophobic comments

So far we have

1. Trying to Shut down the media
2. Trying to change the history books
3. Erasing the questionable history from records
4. try to critical of party while in it and get a visit from some member to shut you up

The list goes on

I can remember another party doing something similar but can’t think of the name of them now

macvin

This is how sinn fein work now.

If you antagonise them, they will take legal action against you in order to silence you

The more legal action sinn fein start or threaten, the more silence in the media as even if you lose or they withdraw the action, it will cost you tens of thousand of euro.

In some cases they will come to your front door and threaten you. That's even if you've been a member of the party.

Basically, disagree with them and be prepared for a backlash

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979983#Comment_118979983

So what is she suing over?

All we know is the piece in general in which something specific must have been alleged or said.

Economics101

Well, in my household the complaint about RTE is that every time you turn it on, it's odds-on to be a Shinner talking, usually MLMD. So this is the thanks RTE gets for so frequently giving her a platform!

Anyone know what date it was?

Might be able to listen back to it here unless they pulled it https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/today-with-claire-byrne/episodes/?page=5

Brussels Sprout

I recall that piece. It was basically about how female government TDs had been shut out by the Women's Council at appearing at some rally. They had Brid Smith on supporting the decision by the council and Regina Doherty on complaining about it. Near the end of the piece Doherty made a claim about SF (which I cannot recall exactly but it was the kind of cheap shot that happens in the Dail the whole time - but I guess they are protected by parliamentary privilege in there).

The reason I even heard the piece is because people were referring to it on twitter saying that it was slanderous and also unfair since SF were not even represented in the studio.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980145#Comment_118980145

Oh did you set up threads to make the same points about other parties. I'll check now.

markodaly

The European Council has mentioned that Ireland's Defamation Laws are far to strict and is used to silence dissent and journalists in fear of them ending up in the courts.

MLMD is a thundering disgrace on this one and let's not forget that she stood up in the Dail and made completely false allegations in relation to others herself, but was protected by Dail privilege so she herself could not be sued

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorial/the-irish-times-view-on-ireland-s-defamation-laws-inching-towards-essential-reform-1.4815683

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980205#Comment_118980205

The government has been sitting on their backsides on reform of the defamation laws here alright.

https://inforrm.org/2020/11/15/ireland-still-kicking-the-can-on-defamation-reform-after-four-years-eoin-odell/

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980224#Comment_118980224

Given that SF are more than happy with them, looks like you should vote for the current government who are committed to reforming them

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980205#Comment_118980205

i expect the SF online mob to be outraged with RTE and fully support shutting down the media by SF

While at the same time shouting about the government parties shutting down the media

It really gives an excellent insight into what a government let by SF would be like, all the media would be full of propaganda or they would be shut down

very disturbing carry on

Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118979909#Comment_118979909

Nothing snide in calling out bias. You said you didn't know, but supported RTE.

Be an interesting one.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980235#Comment_118980235

Might interest you to know that politicians right across the political spectrum have sued for defamation.

Keep the old perspective mark. This isn't a single party issue, even if you see political advantage.

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980039#Comment_118980039

So this is where Putin got the idea of threatening anyone who help Ukraine with his nukes?

KevRossi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980243#Comment_118980243

The 'SF online mob' have been very, very quiet the past 8-9 weeks for some reason, especially on Twitter. Almost like they lost their office space or their broadband was disconnected or something.

Field east

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980062#Comment_118980062

Also if there is a sad accident with lives lost - car accident, house on fire , a drowning , etc, etc, etc, it is mainly a SF rep that is ‘rolled out’

whippet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980271#Comment_118980271

how about just still to the thread in hand? It is about MLMD taking action against RTE. No need to make comparisons to someone falling off a swing or leaking some paperwork. I didn't hear the RTE piece in question so it will be interesting to see if they defend it or mea culpa and settle before court.

I've very little time for SF or MLMD but I do support anyones rights to take legal action should they feel they have a case. No broadcaster should be allowed to air defamatory statements unchecked (nothing proven here).

with all the talk about freedom of speech with the twitter nonsense it is nice to see that in Ireland at least there may be consequences for defamatory comments.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980289#Comment_118980289

Why don't you just use your scroll wheel and scroll past?

sam t smith

Similar phenomenon on Radio Nova, every day there is a new clip of some SF head ‘outraged’ about something or other.

Jesus, the Shinnerbots over on Twitter are active today. There’s a lot less of them since February, but individual accounts have really upped their output. Levels of whataboutery are off the charts.

markodaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980243#Comment_118980243

Or give out that the government haven't reformed the defamation laws more quickly.

sam t smith

Message from party HQ:

”Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!”

Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980275#Comment_118980275

That must be it, because there defo is one, sure they're all over the shinner thread....

Nobody interested in RTE possibly costing us all money? I hope she doesn't win too much if she's successful. Taxpayer money and all, but if she does, its on RTE. TBF it'd probably only be a weeks wage for Joe Duffy.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980317#Comment_118980317

It was you who raised it as a source of embarrassment in Europe. I was just helping you understand whose fault that was.

touts

Now Sinn Fein are sending in the lawyers to silence opposition.

In 10 years when they have had 2 terms in government god only knows what sort of Putin like tactics they will be using to silence and eliminate their opponents. We're in for a rough decade or more lads.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980414#Comment_118980414

Yeh, they could run censorship campaigns and call them 'Sections; just like the old days. 😁

If it helps puts a stop to political programmes giving a platform for one party to attack another,without right of reply

Would seem a good thing as regards basic standards in media....yous wouldnt be allowed do it in a school level debate ffs

this whole sf surge/hype over last 2 years was started in earnest by rte effectively only wanting to have leaders debate involving ff and fg

(famously pat kenny on virgin media gave both martin & varadkar, a platform to attack shinners in same time frame with no right of reply,and a child could see that carryon is wrong)

nigeldaniel

Sf likes to use every excuse in the book to coerce the media so that in the future the media give them an easy time.

jimwallace197

Good to see this from Mary Lou, its high time RTE are held accountable for the type of absolute tripe & bias they produce on a regular basis in favor of the two major parties. Truth of the matter, they're petrified of what Sinn Fein would do to their organisation if they got into power.

RTE have become an absolutely despicable organisation & the sooner its completely removed or re-structured the better.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980486#Comment_118980486

How's that worked out for the most scrutinised party on the island? Go compare the amount of print and verbal coverage they get, mostly sensationalised and negative, to the rest.

Threats of litigation don't seem to be working do they, if there actually are that many threats.

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980489#Comment_118980489

Ahh yes shut down RTE because you don't like them. Strange how every other party in Ireland doesn't seem to have an issue with RTE except Sinn Fein.

It's not just RTE is it? check online and most newspapers are also accused of showing bias against SF.

Brucie Bonus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980414#Comment_118980414

RTE is opposition? Losing the run there. She'll only be successful if the authorities agree with her. Calm yourself.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980555#Comment_118980555

Before you start, you brought in no other party having a problem with RTE.

Strange how every other party in Ireland doesn't seem to have an issue with RTE except Sinn Fein.

https://www.thejournal.ie/bai-complaint-dub-bay-south-by-election-5630811-Dec2021/

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/maria-bailey-complaint-over-rt%C3%A9-radio-show-is-rejected-by-bai-1.4275725

https://www.finegael.ie/rte-must-explain-why-andrew-mcginley-was-dropped-from-late-late-show-carrigy/

https://m.independent.ie/irish-news/furious-fianna-fail-accuses-rte-of-ambush-journalism-26053293.html

All examples of compo culture and how they'll have us living in putins Russia? :)

KevRossi

The debate in question is here: The opposition was represented by Brid Smith PBP. Hardly biased. The potentially defamatory stuff probably comes in the last 2 mins.

https://www.rte.ie/radio/radio1/clips/22063398/

brokenangel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118980605#Comment_118980605

If that is the bit she is suing over I expect they will want to shut up Mairia Cahill very quickly after she picked out Mary Lou walking beside someone who was involved in her "investigation" by the PIRA.