Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

As I understand the position on section 8, the person has one cause of action only in respect of the publication of a defamatory statement concerning the person even if more than one defamatory imputation in respect of that person is borne by the statement. This does not deal with the question of multiple publication. It deals with the issue of multiple meaning or imputation in one publication.

For example, if someone is described as a thieving murderer, the person could theoretically sue claiming the statement meant that he or she was a thief and, on another day, sue claiming the statement meant that he or she had murdered someone. That situation is not allowed under this section. One must sue in a single action on the basis of being accused of being a thief and a murderer.