A couple, whose long-term relationship broke up more than two years ago, yesterday agreed an undisclosed court settlement of shares in property worth almost €1 million.
Consultant Dr Jane Pillinger, St Peter’s Terrace, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin, and her former partner, community development worker, Marie Mulholland, O’Donnell Gardens, Glasthule, Co Dublin, faced day-long partition proceedings in the Circuit Civil Court.
Public documents in the case revealed a dispute over financial interests in a house at St Peter’s Terrace which had been bought in March 2005 for €590,000 and a house in O’Donnell Gardens purchased for €245,000 in August 2000.
It was accepted in a counter-claim that Dr Pillinger would retain full ownership of a house at Barrakilla, Beara, west Cork, which had been bought in May 2003.
Donall Ó Laoire, for Ms Mulholland, told Circuit Court president Mr Justice Matthew Deery that the case had been settled. Kenneth Connolly, for Dr Pillinger, said the deal would allow both partners to retain a roof over their heads while the agreement was completed.
He said the claim by his client Dr Pillinger and a counter-claim by Ms Mulholland centred around a property dispute between the former partners.
He said the agreement meant that both parties would be able to stay in respective houses, although it envisaged the sale of one of the houses.
Mr Connolly said the agreement also facilitated arrangements with regard to a number of mortgages relating to the properties.
The claim and counter-claim showed that both parties agreed the house at O’Donnell Gardens, Glasthule, had been purchased with 58 per cent in favour of Dr Pillinger and 42 per cent in Ms Mulholland’s favour.
Ms Mulholland, in her counter claim, had sought 50-50 ownership of the St Peter’s Terrace house while accepting the Cork property was fully owned by Dr Pillinger.
The judge said the parties were indebted to both counsel in hammering out a settlement. Both parties are to meet their own legal costs.