An Irish legal firm handling claims from car owners over the Volkswagen emissions scandal has teamed up with an international counterpart to co-ordinate the prosecutions across the EU.

Mayo-based O'Dwyer Solicitors, which last month was granted an order of discovery in a case against Volkswagen AG, has teamed up with Berlin-based Hausfeld Law Firm.

Hausfeld Law Firm has already worked on cases in the US involving the emissions scandal. Its chairman was appointed to serve on the plaintiffs' steering committee in the recent US class action of Volkswagen Group car owners. This action resulted in a $15 billion settlement with owners in the United States.

Last month at Castlebar District Court, Judge Mary Devins granted an interim preliminary order for discovery in a claim for damages by a Roscommon woman against Volkswagen Ireland and its German parent company Volkswagen AG.

The claim by Eithne Higgins, Croghan, Boyle, Co Roscommon, represented by solicitor Evan O'Dwyer, followed an admission by the car manufacturer last year that it had installed software in diesel cars to trick emission testers in the United States.

Barry Fogarty, counsel for Volkswagen, had earlier objected to the scale of the discovery sought by the respondent, describing it as “extremely substantial”.