See update at end: The Irish Times has launched a legal action against Times Newspapers over the intention by Rupert Murdoch’s UK company to publish an online newspaper called The Times Ireland.

The Irish Times says the use of the title, which it claims is due to be launched “imminently”, amounts to a breach of its trademark and therefore infringes its copyright.

Senior Counsel Jonathan Newman told the Dublin high court that the Irish Times had instituted proceedings because the “potential for confusion is enormous”. The proposed use of the name The Times Ireland was, he said, “a very serious violation” of its copyright.

It is evidently intended that the digital edition of the Times would be part of a seven-day subscription package offered to Irish readers along with the Sunday Times.

The Irish Times wants to prevent Times Newspapers from using any name similar to the Irish Times and is seeking an order prohibiting Murdoch’s London-based News UK from using the domain names www.thetimesireland.ie, www.timesireland.ie, and also from using the description The Times Ireland on Twitter accounts, using the T logo on its Twitter account, or any other logo confusingly similar to the IT logo.

Newman said the Irish Times has been aware for some months that the defendants intended to publish an Irish edition e-paper and had no issue with that.

However, the paper does have a complaint about the use of titles such as The Times Ireland or Times Ireland.

Newman said the Irish Times only became aware over the last week, following posts on social media, that the proposed publication by the defendants would be called The Times Ireland.

He claimed the use of the name will cause the Irish Times, whose own online publication has six million views per month, “enormous problems”.

He said undertakings had been sought from the defendants not to use those titles and that no such undertakings have been given.

Newman said lawyers acting for Times Newspapers said, by correspondence, that there was no basis for asking the high court to impose the injunctions it was seeking.

The correspondence also revealed that the Irish Times knew since last February that it had intended to launch The Times Ireland. There were no imminent plans for the proposed publication to be launched prior to 5 June.

The judge, Mr Justice Paul Gilligan, agreed to hear the case later this month.

Updated 5.45pm: A spokesman for News UK & Ireland said: “Ireland has a rich tradition of strong and respected journalism and we are very excited and proud to be bringing our proposition to market.

“We have hired some of Ireland’s most renowned journalists in the new team and it will build on the rich heritage we have already established in the Irish market.

“We will be launching our new offering for our Irish audience in due course and in the meantime we will seek to address any concerns the Irish Times has.”

Sources: RTE/Irish Times/News UK email

