In The News Why Meath house was seized from owners in 20-year planning saga
Mar 19, 2026
Mary Carolan, legal affairs correspondent at The Irish Times, explains the recent court steps that let Meath County Council seize the property. Caroline O'Doherty, science correspondent who tracked the saga for decades, provides the long background. They discuss the unauthorised build, decades of retention bids and appeals, the Supreme Court rulings and why the council moved to take possession now.
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Couple Built Massive House After Planning Refusal
- Caroline O'Doherty recounts that Michael and Rose Murray were refused planning for a dormer in 2006 but built a 588 sqm house twice the size and moved in.
- A 2007 complaint led Meath County Council to obtain a demolition order after enforcement visits found the unauthorised large house.
Retrospective Permission Doesn't Override Original Grounds
- Judges emphasized that retrospective retention cannot undo the original reasons for refusing permission when nothing has materially changed.
- The courts repeatedly found the Murrays' arguments unpersuasive because the development still represented rural sprawl and lacked proper wastewater provision.
Supreme Court Condemned The House As Reckless
- The Murrays appealed to the Supreme Court, raising constitutional claims about property and family rights, but the court rejected them and used strong language about their conduct.
- The judgment described constructing the house as showing a "reckless disregard for the rule of law."