A CO Clare woman has told a court that she has endured a "living hell" for the past two years since a developer demolished a house without planning permission beside her home in 2006.
At a special sitting of Ennis District Court yesterday, Kathleen Reddan, Main Street, Sixmile-bridge, said the foundations of her home had been undermined and the gable wall cracked by the unauthorised demolition of the adjacent house by builder Patrick Costello, Shannon Road, Sixmilebridge.
"I have had trouble sleeping. I'm terrorised with the storms. It's freezing cold in the house. My health has deteriorated. I have bronchitis. I'm sick with worry that my wall will collapse." She said because of the damage she would be unable to sell her home.
Ms Reddan was giving evidence in the prosecution being taken by Clare County Council against Mr Costello. Joan Reddan owned the house that was demolished. Her solicitor John Callinan told the court that the proposed sale of the home to Mr Costello never went through and the deposit was returned. He said he had obtained a High Court order compelling Mr Costello to rebuild the house.
The council also brought a prosecution against Joan Reddan as the house's owner, but Judge Leo Malone ordered that the summons against her be struck out.
Before the council called its witnesses, Mr Costello - who represented himself - left the courtroom after telling the judge he was not in a fit state of mind to be in court and had done nothing wrong. He said it was Maxfern Ltd which knocked down the house. Mr Costello is a director of Maxfern and the court was told the company was in liquidation.
Judge Malone fined him €1,500 and €1,800 in expenses. He ordered him to comply with the council's order to reconstruct the home.
