THE HIGH COURT has dismissed and struck out defamation actions against Dana Rosemary Scallon taken by relatives of the former presidential candidate.

The decisions by Justice Brian O’Moore follow an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal that Susan Stein and Susan Gorrell must pay €150,000 as security for legal costs, in case they lost their case against the singer.

In their actions, Stein and Gorrell claimed that Scallon, while being interviewed by TV3 as part of the 2011 presidential campaign, made statements that meant the two women had maliciously made up claims that Gorrell was sexually abused by John Brown, Scallon’s brother, in the 1970s and 1980s.

Gorrell subsequently reported Brown to police in England, where he lived. He was cleared of all charges in 2014.

Stein and Gorrell also sued TV3 as part of the same action. The television station apologised and paid compensation before Brown’s trial began.

Scallon’s lawyers said today that the TV station agreed the settlement without Scallon’s consent.

Scallon’s legal team asked the High Court to dismiss the action today on the grounds that Stein and Gorrell had not complied with the order for security for costs, and that there was an inordinate delay in proceeding with the case.

In striking out the action, Justice Brian O’Moore said Stein had emailed Scallon’s solicitors saying that neither she nor Gorrell could continue their actions as they could not pay the security for costs.

The judge said he will deal with an application from Scallon for the costs of the strike out application to be paid by TV3 at a later date.

The station formerly known as TV3 rebranded as Virgin Media Television in 2018.

Following the rulings, Scallon said she was delighted with the dismissal of the claims, which she described as “unfounded”. 

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