Sir, - It may be invigorating for Senator David Norris (November 4th) to be on the same side as John Waters once in a while, but it is a shame that he chose the defamation laws to go so conservative on us.
The Law Reform Commission (1991) and the government-appointed Commission on the Newspaper Industry (1996) have both explained in rational detail why our libel laws need amending. It is not so much a case of "howling", to use the Senator's word, as growling politely and in the interests of free speech. Removal of the right to damages for proven libel is certainly not suggested.
If a book equivalent to Joyce's Ulysses appeared today, it might not be banned for indecency, but it could well be cut on the advice of media lawyers because so many of the characters in it are clearly recognisable and might initiate proceedings. - Yours, etc.,
Colum Kenny, School of Communications, Dublin City University, Dublin 9.