Court hears of Dairygold testing contract dispute

The board of Dairygold did not accept that its CEO should have made a decision about outsourcing milk testing and wanted a say on who should get the contract, the High Court heard yesterday.

Former chief executive Jerry Henchy said after he told farmers at meetings in 2007 that he intended to introduce an external milk testing system within a year, the Dairygold board said it was not a management issue.

Mr Henchy, aged 48, a father of three from Kilmallock, Co Limerick, was giving evidence in his action against Dairygold Co-operative Society Ltd over the alleged termination in Jan 2009 of his €560,000 job, which included bonuses and allowances. He has not worked since.