AN ORDER sought by an Irish ice cream company restraining Master Foods Ltd and Mars Incorporated from terminating their distribution agreement with it was refused by the High Court yesterday. The application for the interlocutory injunction was made by Valley Ice Cream (Distribution) Limited and Valley Ice Cream (Ireland) Ltd, of Templemore Road, Thurles, Co Tipperary.
Mr Patrick Kilcoyne, director of the Valley companies, claimed that if Master Foods and Mars were not restrained from terminating their agreement before a full hearing of the action, up to 70 people might lose their jobs.
Last month Master Foods Ltd, of St Stephen's Green, Dublin, and Mars Incorporated, of Dundee Road, Slough, England, terminated their agreement with the Valley Ice Cream companies. Both Master Foods and Mars alleged over £377,000 was owed to them by the Valley Ice Cream companies.