Proceedings by the planning tribunal against former Dublin West Fianna Fáil TD, Mr Liam Lawlor, which could have led to the sale of his home and lands at Lucan, Co Dublin, were adjourned generally with liberty to re-enter by the High Court yesterday.
The adjournment was granted, with the consent of the tribunal, to allow other proceedings brought by solicitor Mr Dermot P. Coyne regarding the property to go ahead. Mr Coyne formerly represented Mr Lawlor.
In November last, the High Court granted to Mr Coyne a "well charging order" of €275,000 on the Lawlor family home at Somerton, Finnstown, Lucan. The value of the house was put at between €3 million and €4 million.
Mr Coyne had obtained a judgment on February 10th, 2003. That judgment was then registered against Somerton.
Meanwhile, separate proceedings have been taken against Mr Lawlor by the tribunal, which is seeking to satisfy debts of some €430,000 in legal costs claimed to be due to it.
When that case came before Ms Justice Finlay Geoghegan last week, Ms Sara Moorehead SC, for the tribunal, said the tribunal did not accept the validity of a deed of gift under which Mr Lawlor was claiming to have transferred the house and lands to his wife, Hazel, in 1997.
At that stage, Mr Kenneth Bredin, for Mr Lawlor, sought an adjournment of the tribunal's proceedings which are also seeking "well charging" orders against the home and lands at Somerton.
Yesterday, the tribunal's proceedings were adjourned with liberty to re-enter in order to allow Mr Coyne's proceedings to continue through the court process and on the basis that the tribunal would be kept informed if there was any compromise of the Coyne proceedings.