Irish Statute Book

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Updated to 26 September 2025 (Act No. 10 of 2025 and S.I. No. 416 of 2025)

All effects below are reflected in the most recent Revised Act.

Defamation Act 2009
No. 31 of 2009

Contents

Commencement
Amendments and other effects
SIs made under the Act

Commencement

Section	Commencement Date	Commencement Information
Whole Act	1 January 2010	Defamation Act 2009 (Commencement) Order 2009 (S.I. No. 517 of 2009), art. 2

Amendments and other effects

How Affected	Affecting Provision	Affecting Provision Commencement Date	Commencement Source
S. 17(2) amended	Houses of the Oireachtas (Enquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013 (No. 33 of 2013), ss. 1(2), 132	25 September 2013	Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013 (Commencement) Order 2013 (S.I. No. 362 of 2013), art. 2
S. 17(2)(j) amended	Family Courts Act 2024 (48/2024), ss. 1(2), 6, schedule 2, ref. 7		Not yet commenced. Commencement order required under s. 1(2)
S. 17(2)(w) amended	Parole Act 2019 (28/2019), ss. 1(2), 38(a)(i)	30 July 2021	Parole Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 405 of 2021), art. 2
S. 17(2)(x) inserted	Parole Act 2019 (28/2019), ss. 1(2), 38(a)(ii)	30 July 2021	Parole Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 405 of 2021), art. 2
S. 17(2)(y) inserted	Parole Act 2019 (28/2019), ss. 1(2), 38(a)(ii)	30 July 2021	Parole Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 405 of 2021), art. 2
S. 17(4) inserted	Parole Act 2019 (28/2019), ss. 1(2), 38(b)	30 July 2021	Parole Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2021 (S.I. No. 405 of 2021), art. 2
S. 36 repealed	Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Act 2019 (43/2019), ss. 4, 5(2)	17 January 2020	Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 13 of 2020), art. 2
S. 37 repealed	Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Act 2019 (43/2019), ss. 4, 5(2)	17 January 2020	Blasphemy (Abolition of Offences and Related Matters) Act 2019 (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 13 of 2020), art. 2
Sch. 1, pt. 1, para. 11 amended	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), ss. 2(1)(i), 127(a)(i)	31 December 2020	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (Parts 17, 18, 19 and 20) (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 693 of 2020), art. 2
Sch. 1, pt. 1, para. 12 amended	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), ss. 2(1)(i), 127(a)(ii)	31 December 2020	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (Parts 17, 18, 19 and 20) (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 693 of 2020), art. 2
Sch. 1, pt. 1, para. 13A inserted	Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (No. 14 of 2014) ss. 1(2), 14(2)	15 July 2014	Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (Commencement) Order 2014 (S.I. No. 327 of 2014), art. 2
Sch. 1, pt. 2, para. 1 amended	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), ss. 2(1)(i), 127(b)(i)	31 December 2020	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (Parts 17, 18, 19 and 20) (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 693 of 2020), art. 2
Sch. 1, pt. 2, para. 2 amended	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), ss. 2(1)(i), 127(b)(ii)	31 December 2020	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (Parts 17, 18, 19 and 20) (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 693 of 2020), art. 2
Sch. 1, pt. 2, para. 3 amended	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), ss. 2(1)(i), 127(b)(iii)	31 December 2020	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (Parts 17, 18, 19 and 20) (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 693 of 2020), art. 2
Sch. 1, pt. 2, para. 4 amended	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (23/2020), ss. 2(1)(i), 127(b)(iv)	31 December 2020	Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 (Parts 17, 18, 19 and 20) (Commencement) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 693 of 2020), art. 2

SIs made under the Act

Section	SIs made under the Act
S. 44	Defamation Act 2009 (Press Council) Order 2010 (S.I. No. 163 of 2010)