Latest news with #MichelleKeane
Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Judge orders Michelle Keane to remove defamatory social media posts about Michael Healy-Rae
Judge Ronan Munro has ordered former General Election Candidate Michelle Keane to take down social media posts about Minister Michael Healy-Rae which he said are defamatory and sensational.
Irish Independent
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Judge orders Michelle Keane to remove defamatory social media posts about Minister Healy-Rae
Judge Ronan Munro has ordered former General Election Candidate Michelle Keane to take down social media posts about Minister Michael Healy-Rae which he said are defamatory and sensational.
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Social media posts about Michael Healy-Rae by former Co Kerry election candidate to be taken down, court orders
A number of allegations made on social media by a former Co Kerry general election candidate about Michael Healy-Rae, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, are to be taken down and not repeated, pending trial of the matter. The application for an interlocutory order involving 12 social media posts by Michelle Keane of Knocknagoshel, including video recordings and monologues which Mr Healy-Rae claims defamed him, was ruled on by Judge Ronan Munro on Thursday morning at Tralee Circuit Civil Court. The judge said he did not wish to silence Ms Keane, who is in the same political arena, but anything said about Mr Healy-Rae had to be responsibly verified and balanced. Judge Munro said his ruling did not mean Mr Healy-Rae cannot be criticised or held to account. 'But you can't make statements about him that are not responsibility verified,' he told Ms Keane, representing herself. READ MORE 'Belief, even intense belief in truth of statements, is not the same as truth,' the judge said. Affidavits and 'a large volume of material' including pages of social media comment had been submitted in defence, the judge noted. However, there was no evidence of truth and the defence of honest opinion, which had to be grounded in truth also fell, the court held during the hour-long ruling. There was 'no attempt to distinguish between suspicion, allegations and facts', the posts were 'utterly lacking in balance' and there was no attempt at reflecting the plaintiff's point of view, Judge Munro said of the posts. 'The order is based on evidence I have at this stage, pending full trial of the matter,' Judge Munro said. He added that the order 'wasn't to take down everything in relation to Michael Healy-Rae'. 'It's only defamatory matter,' Judge Munro said. Mr Healy-Rae complained in court papers he received hate mail as a result of one of Ms Keane's posts of 'a fairly serious allegation', Judge Munro put it to Ms Keane Ms Keane said Mr Healy-Rae was a public representative. 'He'd want to get over himself. I get hate mail. I don't go crying to Mommy or Daddy about it or to Kerry's Eye,' she responded, to some laughter in court. Mr Healy-Rae's injunction was sought under Section 33 of the Defamation Act 2009. Barrister for Mr Healy-Rae, Elizabeth Murphy, instructed by Killarney solicitor Dan O'Connor, told the court she was seeking 'an injunction to restrain publication of a most grave and serious nature'. The barrister said she was seeking an order 'to remove all posts accusing her client of illegality or immorality and to stop doing it'. Ms Keane agreed to take down the posts pending trial. She has seven days to take down the posts. Judge Munro said he was adjourning the issue of costs to late June when the matter comes before the court again. Ms Keane said she is to appeal the matter to the High Court. Judge Munro said this was her right. The media cannot publish the allegations as part of the order.
Irish Times
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Michael Healy-Rae seeks injunction against former general election candidate over allegedly defamatory social media posts
An application by Michael Healy-Rae, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, against a former general election candidate and activist, seeking to remove allegedly defamatory social media posts, has been adjourned to next week. The proceedings will be heard in the absence of Michelle Keane, if she does not signal to the court her intention to contest the matter. On Wednesday morning, the Circuit Civil Court in Tralee was told an interlocutory injunction was being sought to have 'serious and grave' publications about Mr Healy-Rae removed. Barrister for Mr Healy-Rae, Elizabeth Murphy, instructed by Killarney solicitor Dan O'Connor, told the court she was seeking 'an injunction to restrain publication of a most grave and serious nature'. READ MORE This was a civil matter under the Defamation Act and Ms Keane should be called, Ms Murphy said at the outset. The objective was to take down and restrain further allegations, and she was seeking an interlocutory injunction, Ms Murphy said. Ms Keane usually represents herself, and notice had been served by email over the bank holiday weekend, the barrister said. She added this was not Ms Keane's 'first rodeo'. Judge Ronan Munro said he would prefer if the proceedings and notice of the injunction being sought was served by the Killarney-based solicitor to Ms Keane's address in Knocknagoshel, to notify her he would deal with the matter at 2pm on Wednesday. Ms Keane had electronic gates, Ms Murphy advised the court. If necessary, the envelope was to be placed behind the electronic gates of Ms Keane's residence, Judge Munro said. Mr O'Connor then proceeded to Knocknagoshel to serve the papers by hand. When the matter resumed at 2pm, Ms Keane was again called and she was not in court. Ms Murphy outlined specific allegations about Mr Healy-Rae which she said were made by Ms Keane and were defamatory; Ms Keane 'self -publishes' on social media, the barrister told the court. The barrister said she was seeking an order 'to remove all posts accusing her client of illegality or immorality and to stop doing it'. Judge Munro adjourned the matter to Tuesday next. Mr Healy-Rae's legal team is to seek to serve notice on Ms Keane. 'This will proceed in an uncontested basis and if she wants to contest, she must notify the courts office,' Judge Munro said.
