A 51-year-old former Navan councillor has been ordered to pay €50,000 damages after falsely claiming a Sinn Féin councillor had threatened to arrange a punishment beating. Eddie Fennessy, Sinn Féin councillor for Meath County Council, took legal action against former independent councillor Wayne Forde, of Parnell Park, Navan, at Trim Circuit Court. In making the award against Mr Forde, Judge Mary O’Malley Costello said the case was “at the highest level of defamation”. The judge made an order directing Mr Forde to pay €50,000 damages to Mr Fennessy for defaming him. She also made an order restraining Mr Forde from defaming or disparaging Mr Fennessy in any way whatsoever in the future.

Source: The Irish Times December 12, 2025 13:01 UTC