PROPERTY DEVELOPER Seán Dunne has settled his High Court dispute with a former business partner over ownership of an internet domain name relating to three Ballsbridge hotels which Mr Dunne bought for more than €370 million in 2007.
The dispute was over ownership of the d4hotels.com domain name and website.
The action opened yesterday before Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan but, shortly after Mr Dunne entered the witness box to give evidence, the case was adjourned for talks between the sides outside court and the judge was later told by John O’Donnell SC, for Mr Dunne, that the case had been settled and could be mentioned again today when the court will be asked to strike it out.
Ms Justice Finlay Geoghegan said a resolution made sense from both a commercial and personal point of view.
Mr Dunne’s company, MJBCH Ltd, had taken the proceedings against Cloud Nine Management Services and Beechside Co Ltd, trading as The Park Hotel Kenmare.
MJBCH is the leaseholder of the former Berkeley Court Hotel and the former Jury’s Hotel in Ballsbridge, Dublin, now trading as D4 Hotels. Mr Dunne’s former business partner, John Brennan, is involved with the defendant companies.
In its claim, MJBCH claimed it has exclusive entitlement to the operation and management of the d4hotels domain name and website, and that the defendants were “passing off” their services as those of the plaintiff company.
It was claimed the Park Hotel had in September 2007 registered D4hotels as a business name and also registered the domain name d4hotels.com with Novarra IT. The defendants had denied the claims and lodged counterclaims.
