A DUBLIN man could be homeless this Christmas after Dublin City Council evicted him without any notice following his sister’s death from cancer just weeks ago, the High Court has been told.
Mark Kelly (29), a separated father of two, says his family life has “been thrown into disarray” since the council evicted him and boarded up the two-bedroom bungalow at Marewood Drive, Ballymun, where he had lived with his family since 2003.
The council had received complaints of anti-social behaviour but Mr Kelly denied such behaviour, the court heard yesterday.
Mr Kelly has brought judicial review proceedings aimed at recovering tenancy. Leave to bring the proceedings was granted yesterday by Mr Justice Michael Peart.
Siobhán Phelan, for Mr Kelly, said he had lived with his late mother and sister who were joint tenants of the house. His mother died in 2006 while his sister died of cancer last month. A few days after her burial, Mr Kelly was asked to make contact with an official from Dublin City Council.
The official asked Mr Kelly to return the keys of the property but Mr Kelly, who had been paying rent, said he was living there and should succeed the tenancy.
On December 2nd, after coming home from “a 30-minute errand”, Mr Kelly found his home being boarded up by the council in the presence of gardaí, Ms Phelan said. He was given only a few minutes to remove personal belongings.