THE IRISH Times Ltd has sued for €2.89 million damages over alleged wrongful repudiation of a printing agreement for the printing of Irish Daily Star Sunday.

The proceedings by Irish Times Ltd against Independent Star Ltd were admitted to the Commercial Court yesterday by Mr Justice Peter Kelly. Counsel for the defendant said it was consenting to the transfer of the case.

Ciarán Lewis, for the Irish Times, said the printing agreement under which his client was to print the Irish Daily Star Sundaywas to run until 2015 and the defendant was not entitled to terminate it. As a result of that wrongful termination last January, his client was entitled to damages, Mr Lewis said.

In its action, the Irish Times claims it entered an agreement with the defendant firm about February 2008 for a fixed term expiring on November 9th, 2015, under which the Irish Daily Star Sundaywas to be printed weekly.

The defendant ceased publishing the newspaper last January; in a letter of February 16th, it wrongfully repudiated the printing agreement, it was claimed. As a result, the plaintiff would suffer estimated losses of about €2.89 million.