Mr Larry Goodman has kept his £75 million (€95 million) damages claim against the State alive despite attempts by the Department of Enterprise and Employment to guillotine the case. Mr Goodman's company, Irish Food Processors, the former Goodman International, was given until last Monday by the High Court to file details of the claim or risk having it thrown out.

A spokesman for the Department declined to say yesterday whether IFP had provided the additional information about its claim that had been sought. "The Tanaiste and the Department will continue to try to bring this action to an end," he said.

A company spokesman said all the requirements of the court had been complied with, but would not give any details.

The claim related to the decision in 1989 by the then minister for industry and commerce, Mr Des O'Malley, to cancel £75 million in export credits insurance to the Goodman Group for beef exports to Iraq. The move contributed to the firm's collapse into examinership that year when the Iraqi customers defaulted. Mr Goodman then embarked on a 10-year struggle to regain control of the company which ended last October when he bought out the shareholders who helped him restructure the group.

In 1995 the firm succeeded in having the claim against the Government amended following revelations about the affairs at the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Beef Industry. It is understood the Department then sought details of the amended claim in order to prepare its defence. It still had not received the information it sought by last June and went to the High Court.

It now appears that IFP has either provided the necessary information or been given additional time by the courts to do so.