A High Court judge has described as "premature" an application on behalf of two media organisations to challenge an "excessive" costs bill submitted on behalf of lawyers who acted in defamation proceedings taken by Cork-based journalist Ian Bailey, who was twice arrested for questioning about the murder of French woman Sophie Toscan du Plantier.
The proceedings were brought by Mirror Group Newspapers and Newsgroup Limited, publishers of the Irish Mirror and Irish Sun, who want to challenge a decision by Judge Patrick Moran last April to certify two bills of costs for €84,336 each against both media organisations.
At the High Court yesterday, counsel for the Irish Mirror and Irish Sun applied for leave to take judicial review proceedings challenging Judge Moran's decision.
However, the judge said he believed the application was premature in that the newspapers could apply to Judge Moran to be heard on the costs issue.
If Judge Moran agreed the newspapers should be heard, the circumstances would change, he added.