Daily Ireland launches legal case against advert ban
The publishers of Daily Ireland have launched a £3 million (€4.4 million) claim against the British government over the denial of advertising revenue.
The bill represents a government advertising spend of £200,000 (€292,000) a month since the paper began publishing in February last year.
The Equality Commission is backing the paper’s court action against the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
The case was listed at yesterday’s call-over at Belfast County Court when Judge Kennedy was told that a jurisdictional issue would have to be settled before a hearing could go ahead.
It is understood that, because of the amount of money involved, the case may have to be transferred to the High Court.
Daily Ireland, part of the Andersonstown News Group, is claiming compensation for alleged breach of statutory duty and unlawful discrimination contrary to the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998.
The publishers complained to the Equality Commission in February 2005 after the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister said it would not place recruitment or public notice advertisements in Daily Ireland and would continue the policy of advertising in The Belfast Telegraph, The Irish News and News Letter.
Legal arguments relating to the jurisdiction point are expected to be heard at the end of June.
