The chief executive of the company that managed the .ie domain name has secured a temporary High Court order restraining the company from acting on a report prepared by KPMG in the context of purported disciplinary proceedings related to him.

The order granted to Mr Michael Fagan, chief executive of IE Domain Registry Ltd, prevents the company from purporting to act on or otherwise rely on a report prepared by KPMG, and given to him on November 6th, in the context of a purported disciplinary inquiry/investigation into him.

The order also states that the report will be withheld until its release is authorised by order of the court. Mr Justice Smyth also directed the company to continue paying Mr Fagan's salary pending the case coming before the court again on Friday.

Mr Roderick Horan, for Mr Fagan, said his client's purported suspension was communicated to him at the start of last month. He had been asked for his resignation on September 25th but refused to give it. Mr Fagan was seeking to restrain the defendant from proceeding against him other than in accordance with the diktats of natural justice. Mr Horan said the firm would rely on the report conducted by KPMG.

The company effectively develops and manages the registration of .ie domain names. It is claimed by Mr Fagan that the firm's board of directors is now dominated by individuals who are either associated or were formerly associated with Telecom Éireann - now Eircom - UCD and KPMG.

Mr Fagan, who has worked in the information technology industry for some 20 years, has been involved with the defendant company for more than four years and was appointed chief executive officer with effect from September 1st, 2001.

Before his appointment as chief executive, he was engaged as a consultant with the company.