Tánaiste Leo Varadkar ‘unequivocally’ rejects defamation claim by Village Magazine editor

Defamation proceedings have been issued against Tánaiste Leo Varadkar by the editor of Village Magazine.

Michael Smith is alleging he was defamed in comments made by Mr Varadkar in an article published last August in the Sunday Times newspaper.

The proceedings were lodged in the High Court last Friday by the Belfast-based KRW law firm.

In a statement in response to queries from The Irish Times, Kevin Winters, a partner in KRW Law LLP, said it is acting for Mr Smith “in relation to defamatory statements made by Mr Leo Varadkar, Tánaiste and Minister for Trade and Employment, contained within the published print and online editions of the Sunday Times newspaper dated 21 August 2022″.

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The statement said a High Court plenary summons had issued on October 7th last.

“As proceedings have now issued, it would be inappropriate to comment any further other than to say that the case is taken in order to protect out client’s good name and reputation,” the statement concluded.

In a statement, a spokesman for Mr Varadkar said: “The Tánaiste rejects these claims unequivocally.” He said In a statement that Mr Smith was “an opponent of the Tánaiste and has been heaping opprobrium on him for years”. He said this was the “latest instalment”.

“The Tánaiste’s legal advice is that the claims are baseless. They will be fully defended.”