Paul Murphy: Denounces SLAP Threats Against Tidy Towns
Paul Murphy raised correspondence alleging that Augustus Cullen Law, on behalf of Ardstone Homes Limited, threatened Ballybowden Tidy Towns Group with defamation after the group opposed aspects of the SHD process and brought judicial review actions. He characterised the threatened litigation as SLAP - strategic litigation against public participation - and asked the Taoiseach to condemn the use of legal process to intimidate community groups.
Allegations of legal threats
Paul Murphy presented letters sent by Augustus Cullen Law for Ardstone Homes Limited which, he said, threaten Ballybowden Tidy Towns Group with defamation proceedings. The correspondence was linked by Murphy to the group's actions opposing an alleged abuse of the SHD process and to judicial review procedures in which Ardstone is a respondent.
SLAP and bullying accusation
Murphy quoted the Tidy Towns Group's solicitor, Fred Logue, describing the threatened litigation as SLAP - strategic litigation against public participation - intended to intimidate and silence civil society, environmental defenders and persons exercising their rights. He characterised the letters as bullying and an attempt to punish a community group for its rights-based engagement.
Community defence of planning processes
The speech framed the Ballybowden Tidy Towns Group as standing up for proper planning and community interests by initiating judicial reviews linked to the SHD process. Murphy emphasised that the group's actions were civic participation in planning and environmental matters rather than personal attacks.
Taoiseach's reply on intimidation
The Taoiseach responded that no one should intimidate a Tidy Towns committee and said he was not familiar with the specific case raised. He praised Tidy Towns committees for their exceptional work and said they should be supported, not intimidated.
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Thanks, Count Corlea. I have quite incredible correspondence with me here from Augustus Cullen Law solicitors on behalf of Ardstone Homes Limited, who are a development and investment company, and they are threatening letters to a Tidy Towns Group, Ballybowden Tidy Towns Group, where they are threatening to sue them for defamation. Why? Because they have stood up for proper planning against abuse of the SHD process, and have initiated a number or two judicial review processes with Ardstone as a respondent. This amounts, in the words of the Tidy Towns Group's solicitor, Fred Logue, the litigation threatened in your letter is SLAP, strategic litigation against public participation, in other words, bullying. Quote, litigation aimed not at obtaining the state of relief, but rather calculated to intimidate and silence civil society, environmental defenders and persons exercising their fundamental rights. It goes on to say that it is a calculated attempt to punish my client for exercising its rights and to effectively shut it down. Taoiseach, will you condemn the abuse of the legal process to attempt to intimidate Tidy Towns Groups who are attempting to stand up for their community? Thank you. Deputy Murphy. Deputy Murphy, in terms of the – no one should ever intimidate the Tidy Towns Committee in pursuing its objectives and its work, and it would be wrong to do so. And, again, I am not familiar with the actual specifics of this issue that you have raised or the case that you have raised, but in my view, Tidy Towns Committee do exceptional work, and they should be supported in that process, not intimidated by anybody. Thank you. Thank you.
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