A HIGH Court judge has refused to postpone an action by a company producing hurling helmets which claims it is suffering losses as a result of an allegedly excessively stringent GAA standard for junior headgear.

Cooper Leisure (International) Ltd, Ballinasloe, Galway, has sued the GAA and its central council alleging it has suffered significant losses as a result of the standard required by the GAA. It claims its business is at risk and it wants the GAA ordered to add the company’s junior helmet to its approved list.

Under GAA guidelines, all senior and junior hurlers must wear helmets that have passed the National Standards Authority of Ireland IS-355 test. The GAA says only players wearing approved helmets will be insured under the player-injury scheme.

The court heard yesterday that Cooper Leisure wished to defer next month’s hearing until October because it was envisaged the case would take two weeks to hear instead of the four days for which it was originally listed.

David Nolan SC, for the company, said one of his 16 witnesses, who is from the standards authority, would not be available next month when the case was due to go ahead. Ms Justice Mary Laffoy said the application was “not a proper way to conduct business” as five weeks had passed since the case had been listed.

Cooper Leisure claims it makes one of the most popular helmets for young hurlers, which had passed a European test certifying they met certain standards.The GAA’s action in approving only IS-355 helmets is unfair to Cooper’s junior model helmet, sold since 2007, the company claims.

Cooper has agreed to develop a new helmet for seniors but insists the model for younger players should be permitted as the GAA had previously accepted it. Helmets have been compulsory for senior hurlers since January 1st last but players aged under 21 have been required to wear them since April 2006.