A man has lost his High Court bid to have the RTE TV programme Celebrity Bainisteoirprogramme taken off air.
Patrick Kinsella, of Callowhill, Newtown, Co Wicklow, has claimed it was he came up with the idea for the show and that he made a presentation about it to RTÉ in 2007.
He has brought proceedings claiming breach of copyright against RTÉ and its commissioning editors, Grainne McAleer and Alice O'Sullivan, along with writer Fiona Looney.
Mr Justice Frank Clarke refused to grant him an injunction to take the show off the air pending the hearing of his main action over alleged breach of copyright.
Mr Justice Clarke said the balance of convenience favoured not granting the injunction because taking the show off air at this stage would cause irreparable damage to RTÉ and involve a significant interference in its schedules and advertising built around the programme.
If Mr Kinsella won his action, he could seek a remedy in damages and via a share of the show's profits, the judge said.
Mr Kinsella, who represented himself in court, claimed the reality TV game/sport show he devised was to be called
Top Coach,
Top Manageror
Top Team.
He claimed he made a presentation to RTÉ in August 2007 but, the following year, they brought out
Celebrity Bainisteoirhaving "rushed through" a pilot show.
RTÉ has rejected his claims and said the idea had been suggested by Setanta TV before Mr Kinsella brought his idea to them. RTÉ said he sent four copies of his proposal to the television station, but they were "missed" because they were "hard copies" and his proposal was not assessed.