Journalist Tallant and charity director to give evidence in US trial involving Tony Quinn

The High Court has made orders allowing a journalist and a director of a charitable organisation give evidence as part of a multimillion dollar lawsuit in the United States involving lifestyle guru and businessman Tony Quinn.

Today Mr Justice Gerard Hogan granted orders that Sunday World journalist Nicola Tallant and Mr Mike Garde, a director of Dialogue Ireland, an ecumenical group whose role included working with the victims of cults, give evidence as part of court proceedings in Denver, Colorado.

The US action arises out of the sale of shares in International Natural Energy (INE) LLC- which is the holding company of a firm involved in oil exploration in the central American country of Belize. Mr Tony Quinn was appointed as a director of INE several years ago.

In the proceedings, Colorado resident and former INE director Mr Jean Cornec has brought an action against INE director and chairperson Susan Morrice, INE, its directors and affiliates.

He claims he has not been paid in full for a $15m sale of his shares to Ms Morrice. The claims are denied.

In a counterclaim the defendants allege that Mr Cornec broke their contract by engaging in wrongful conduct including campaign of disparagement designed to damage the reputation of the the defendants including Mr Quinn. Mr Cornec denies those allegations.

As part of the proceedings, due to be heard in Colorado in January 2013, lawyers for the defendants secured orders from the a court in Denver County, Colorado requesting that the Irish High Court make orders that Ms Tallant and Mr Garde be deposed as witnesses in the Colorado lawsuit.

The defendants in the US case say that both Mr Garde and Ms Tallant have relevant evidence in relation to the counterclaims and are believed to have been "party to communications relevant to the Colorado proceedings".