A man who contributed for 41 years to a now-insolvent pension scheme is entitled to bring a case against the scheme's trustees over alleged breach of trust in refusing to grant him an ill- health early retirement pension, the High Court has ruled.

Paul Ryan is suing the trustees of the pension scheme of the South Eastern Cattle Breeders Society Ltd over alleged breach of contract, misrepresentation, conspiracy and breach of duty in their administration of the scheme.

Mr Justice Roderick Murphy yesterday rejected a trustees' application to dismiss Mr Ryan's case.