The High Court in Dublin has granted Irish-language hip-hop group Kneecap permission to serve defamation proceedings outside the jurisdiction on Canadian Member of Parliament Vince Gasparro.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Cian Ferriter granted leave ex parte on Friday following legal submissions from Senior Counsel Mark Harty, representing group members Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and James John Ó Dochartaigh. The order permits the Belfast-based musicians to serve a summons and notice of summons on Mr Gasparro in Canada over online statements alleging the group supported terrorism and held anti-Jewish views.

The court also granted an interim injunction temporarily restraining Mr Gasparro from further publishing the alleged defamatory statements within the legal jurisdiction of Ireland. Under the terms of the High Court order, the Canadian politician was granted 42 days to enter a legal appearance.

The legal action centres on a video posted by Mr Gasparro on his personal account on social media platform X, in which he claimed the trio advocated political violence and glorified terrorist organisations. In written evidence provided to the court, solicitor Darragh Mackin of Belfast-based Phoenix Law stated that the video had been viewed more than four million times and reposted in excess of 1,800 times.

Friday's ruling follows an earlier ex parte application before the court that had been temporarily paused due to documentation and translation deficiencies. Following the submission of revised documentation, Mr Justice Ferriter stated he was satisfied that the statutory requirements for serving proceedings outside the State had been met.