A Dublin woman has failed to establish any beneficial interest in the €368,000 home she shared for 16 years with her lover, the father of two of her children.
Judge Jacqueline Linnane heard that the man in the case had built "the family home" in his own name out of a £200,000 personal injury claim obtained in 1984, three years after they moved in together. They separated in 1997.
Judge Linnane, who recommended the parties should not be identified, said the woman had claimed a beneficial interest in the €368,000 house, an €18,000 mobile home and in the €32,000 house contents. A mortgage had never been taken out.
The woman had conceded she had made little direct financial contribution towards the building of the house. Judge Linnane awarded €9,523 to the woman towards her share of the house contents.