A Co Kildare man, who quit an insurance brokerage to set up a similar business, stole a list of clients' names from his previous employer, the High Court was told yesterday.

Mr Declan Hallahan was restrained by Mr Justice Patrick Smith from communicating with any of the clients of John F. Dunne Insurances Ltd, Main Street, Naas, until further order of the court.

Mr Donal O'Laoire, counsel for John F. Dunne, told the court his client was founder and principal director of his own company and had been in the insurance business for 22 years during which time he had built up a client base throughout the State and now employed 20 people. Mr Hallahan was a former employee and had been made a director of John F. Dunne Insurances in 1989. Recently his company had tentatively and confidentially discussed the possibility of withdrawing from of general insurance.

On September 14th, Mr Hallahan had told him he would be leaving, after his holidays, to set up his own business. The following day a client faxed John F Dunne Insurances a letter he had received from Mr Hallahan claiming the company had decided to withdraw from general insurance and putting his own company forward for the business. Mr O'Laoire said this was untrue as John F Dunne had not made a decision to withdraw from the general insurance sector. He said Mr Hallahan had access to his client's customer lists only by virtue of being a director of the company and was using confidential corporate information for his personal use.