Dublin house owner seeks order against illegal occupiers

The owner of a house at Seville Place in north Dublin city has initated a High Court action aimed at removing several people alleged to have unlawfully occupied the premises for several weeks.

No 6 Seville Place was bought four years ago by a company owned by an Irish dentist, Dr Colman McGrath, who is based in Hong Kong but intends to return to Ireland later this year and have the property refurbished and used for business purposes, the court was told.

The property is owned by Artisan Oral Health Care Company Ltd which has brought proceedings against persons unknown said to be in unlawful occupation of it.

Mr Justice Paul Gilligan granted Stephen Byrne BL, for the company,  permission to serve short notice of the proceedings against the alleged occupiers.

Mr Byrne said Dr McGrath’s representatives have been unable to gain access to the building in order to carry out works after several people took up occupation there.

It is thought these persons took up occupation about late April and they had installed a fortified door at the premises, counsel said.

Dr McGrath does not know who the people in occupation are as they have not identified themselves to his representatives, Mr Byrne added.

The court heard that a notice displaying the legal proceedings aimed at preventing alleged trespass would be pinned to the front door of the premises.

The judge has returned the matter to early next week.