Data dispute ends in court

A DISPUTE between a food manufacturer and four of its employees over the alleged accessing of confidential company information is due to be settled in the High Court today.

Green Isle Foods, Naas, Kildare, had earlier this week obtained a temporary injunction from the court requiring Declan Foley, John Recto, Colum Beirne and John Peters to maintain the confidentiality of the information which allegedly included commercially sensitive data on company profitability and a plan for a small number of redundancies.

They had been suspended on full pay last Friday after it was alleged they accidentally accessed the information and it was allegedly downloaded onto a USB memory stick.

The four refused to sign the undertakings sought by the company in relation to the information, arguing they would be used as the basis of disciplinary proceedings against them.

The Technical, Engineering Electrical Union (TEEU), which represents them, served notice of industrial action as a result of the suspensions.

Yesterday, the High Court was initially asked by counsel for the firm to continue the temporary order on confidentiality and also asked that the four workers provide information as to the identity of any third parties who may have been given the information or how it might be accessed.

Marguerite Bolger BL, for Green Isle, said the information involved was “incredibly sensitive” , including share-price information, which may require that the Stock Exchange be informed.

Lawyers for the four staff asked for an adjournment because they [staff] had only just obtained legal advice and needed time to respond to what was described as inaccuracies in sworn statements provided by the company.

Following discussions between the parties, Ms Bolger, for the company, said undertakings had been drawn up which, if the staff agreed to them, would mean the matter was resolved. Lawyers for the workers agreed and Ms Justice Mary Laffoy adjourned the case to today.