Chapter 6 of 7 · Court: cost, time, outcomes · Awards register
What Irish courts have awarded for defamation
Checked 9 October 2026, public court records and dated press reports.
Reported awards, settlements and dismissals, each with the court, who decided it, the Supreme Court band it falls in, and a dated source. An entry under appeal says so. This is a record, not a prediction: no two cases are alike, and most settle within the Circuit Court limit without a reported figure.
| Case | Court | Decided by | Amount | Band | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two solicitors v Denis O'Brien2025-11Under appeal | High Court (jury) | Jury | €411,750 to each of two plaintiffsAward | Exceptional | Law Society Gazette, November 2025Organisation · to be confirmed against the judgment |
| Mother v retailer (toy-theft accusation), dismissed2025 | Circuit Court | Judge | Claim for €75,000 dismissed, with costs against the claimantDismissed | Moderate | Irish ExaminerPress report · to be confirmed against the judgment |
| Higgins v Irish Aviation Authority [2022] IESC 132022-03 | Supreme Court | Judge | Bands set for general damages; a 10% discount for an offer of amends upheldGuidance on damages | n/a | Courts Service: judgmentsOfficial record · to be confirmed against the judgment |
| Customer v Tesco (settlement)2019 | Circuit Court | Settlement | €9,000 settlementSettlement | Moderate | BreakingNews.iePress report · to be confirmed against the judgment |
| McNamara v Dunnes Stores2017 | Circuit Court, upheld on appeal | Judge | €20,000Award | Moderate | Irish ExaminerPress report · to be confirmed against the judgment |
| Leech v Independent Newspapers [2014] IESC 792014-12 | Supreme Court (reducing a High Court jury award) | Judge | €1.25 million, reduced from a jury award of €1.87 millionAward | Exceptional | Courts Service: judgmentsOfficial record · to be confirmed against the judgment |
| Kinsella v Kenmare Resources2010-11 | High Court (jury); Court of Appeal 2019 | Jury | €10 million jury award in 2010, reduced on appeal to €250,000 in 2019Award | Exceptional | Courts Service: judgmentsOfficial record · to be confirmed against the judgment |
What each entry says
- Two solicitors v Denis O'Brien: A High Court jury awarded each of two solicitors €411,750. The award is under appeal and the Law Society Gazette reported commentary describing it as an outlier. Proceedings issued before 1 March 2026 kept the jury.
- Mother v retailer (toy-theft accusation), dismissed: A €75,000 claim over an accusation of stealing a toy was dismissed and the claimant was ordered to pay the retailer's costs. The register includes dismissals so that the costs risk is visible.
- Higgins v Irish Aviation Authority [2022] IESC 13: The Supreme Court set out bands for general damages (moderate, medium, serious, very serious, exceptional) and upheld a 10% discount where an offer of amends had been made. The bands on the awards and costs page come from this judgment.
- Customer v Tesco (settlement): A reported settlement of a retail accusation claim. Settlements are agreed, not decided, and say nothing about what a court would have awarded.
- McNamara v Dunnes Stores: A shop-floor accusation case. The award of €20,000 was upheld on appeal in 2017. Retail cases reported from the Circuit Court sit in the €2,500 to €20,000 range.
- Leech v Independent Newspapers [2014] IESC 79: The Supreme Court reduced a High Court jury award of €1.87 million to €1.25 million. One of the outliers that shaped the later bands.
- Kinsella v Kenmare Resources: The largest Irish jury award, €10 million in 2010, was reduced by the Court of Appeal to €250,000 in 2019. It is listed because people search for it, and because it shows why the 2026 Act removed juries from new High Court cases.
The bands
The Supreme Court set out bands as a rule of thumb for general damages, and upheld a 10% discount where an offer of amends was made. A band is a starting point for a judge, not a tariff. Moderate up to €50,000; medium to €125,000; serious to €199,000; very serious to €300,000; exceptional above that. The Circuit Court’s limit is €75,000.
The bands, the cost ranges and the costs risk, on one page →