Plaintiff refutes delusion claims

A woman who is suing over the estate of her mother has refuted suggestions by her brother, retired judge Barry White, that she was suffering from delusions.

Aideen Doyle, otherwise Aideen White, is suing two sisters, as administrators of their mother’s estate, claiming that she is owed at least €350,000 for her share of the €2.5m-€2.9m extra that could have been achieved from the sale of the family home.

‘Chimes’, Mount Anville Rd, Goatstown, Dublin, was sold in 2007 for around €16m. Niamh and Derval White, both of Mount Anville Rd, Goatstown, were administrators of the estate of their mother, Emily G White, the High Court heard.

Ms Doyle says there was an offer of €19m from developer Niall Mellon at the time of the sale, which she says the sisters rejected in breach of their duty as administrators of the estate.

The court has heard that Ms Doyle, of Coliemore Rd, Dalkey, Dublin, has been estranged from her family for many years.

Yesterday, before Mr Justice Richard Humphreys, counsel Desmond Murphy said his client wished to refute evidence given on Wednesday by Mr White that Ms Doyle suffered from delusions.

After the judge said the time for disputing evidence was when a person was being cross-examined, Mr Murphy said he would leave the matter to the court but wanted it on record that Ms Doyle was not accepting the evidence of Mr White.

Ms Doyle claims she had been told by a number of people she had been fostered to the Whites and that while she was treated as a member of the family, she says she was not the natural daughter of Emily and Kevin White.

In his submissions to the court, Mr Murphy said it was his case that the defendants had gone against advice of experts when Mr Mellon’s offer was available.

At no stage during the evidence was it suggested Mr Mellon did not have the money to pull off the deal, counsel said. He was a genuine bidder, he said.

Ciaran Foley, for the estate administrators, said the court had to take into account the credibility of Ms Doyle and her mindset.

It was against a background of claims by Ms Doyle that she had been a “swapped baby” and where she had, in her evidence, “played ducks and drakes” with the court, he said.

She had a caring sister who paid for her VHI because she had epilepsy and also suffered a brain injury. Yet when asked about it, she complained, counsel said.

There was no doubt there was evidence of concern for her in the family but it was quite clear she had a perturbed mind, he said.

The case was adjourned for the completion of submissions.