Action over Facebook posts linked to Quinn struck out

A High Court action against Facebook over allegedly defamatory posts by a group supporting the lawful restoration of Seán Quinn’s family to control of his former businesses has been struck out.

The development follows an intervention by Mr Quinn and his request to a group calling itself Concerned Irish Citizens to remove the Facebook page in question, the court heard.

Facebook had opposed an order requiring it to remove the posts but did not oppose an application for an additional order requiring it to reveal the IP addresses of those who had allegedly posted the material.

Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) and its chief executive, Liam McCaffrey, last week sought orders against Facebook Ireland requiring the removal of the material and disclosure of the identities of those behind the postings.

Facebook argued that it could not be expected to screen posts when billions of posts were put up every day.

When the matter came back before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan yesterday, Michael Binchy, for QIH and Mr McCaffrey, said the offending posts had been removed at the request of Mr Quinn to the Concerned Irish Citizens group.

Neutral position

The only outstanding issue was the extent of the order relating to identities and Facebook was adopting a neutral position in relation to this, he said.

Rossa Fanning, for Facebook Ireland, said his client was neither opposing nor consenting to that order.