Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Deputy Leader to ask the Minister for Justice to introduce legislative protections for retailers to protect them from spurious and vexatious defamation claims. The Deputy Leader and I are aware that shopkeepers are up early in the morning, providing essential front-line services in all of our communities. A recent survey of retailers found that 94% of them have been impacted by shoplifting in the past year alone. This will not come as any surprise to anybody looking at the CSO crime statistics which recorded an 8% increase in thefts. In the Dublin metropolitan area where I live, there was a 13% increase. Half of all of these thefts were shoplifting offences but we have the ridiculous situation today that if a retailer asks someone whether they have paid for goods in their shops, they can face a defamation claim. They can face a court ordeal of being sued for defamation. It is absolutely farcical that these people, who provide an essential front-line service, provide employment and support our communities, are being hindered in this way. Their businesses are being undermined. The provision of the service they offer to our communities is being undermined. The employment they provide is being undermined. I ask the Deputy Leader to ask the Minister for Justice that, when bringing forward the defamation Bill commenced last year, he makes amendments to it to protect retailers from vexatious and spurious defamation claims.