Case against Toyota Ireland struck out in High Court

High Court proceedings by 15 Irish car dealers and repair garages against Toyota Ireland alleging anti-competitive behaviour have been struck out.

The complaints centred on the way Toyota operated its authorised repairer network, particularly after it introduced a policy that all dealers must be exclusive with the Japanese brand and not operating other franchises.

In a statement, the car firm said the action was struck out with the consent of both parties and without any payment by Toyota Ireland to the authorised repairers of either compensation or legal costs.

The dealers’ grievances also included tighter credit terms and their exclusion from a three-year free car-servicing promotion. Many of these have been addressed since the case’s outset. A Toyota Ireland spokesman said such changes “occur frequently and are totally irrelevant to the court proceedings”.

Garages

The garages involved included five in Dublin – Cranley Cars, Naas Road; Linders of Chapelizod; McCoy Motors, Lucan; Murphy & Gunn, Rathgar; and White & Delahunty Motors, Sallynoggin – as well as Fitzpatrick's garages in Carlow, Kildare, Naas and Tullamore; three Kearys companies in Cork; Cavanaghs, Cork; Hogan Motors, Ennis; and Motorpark, Galway.

Toyota Ireland said it was “satisfied that it has at all times complied with competition law and the terms of its agreement with these authorised repairers”. “Toyota Ireland has always regarded the claims as unmeritorious and is satisfied that its position has now been vindicated,” it said.