The judge, Mr Justice Donal O'Donnell, noted the costs of the seven-day case 'may outweigh the damages' of the farmer's case against the Department of Agriculture.

TIPPERARY farmer John Hanrahan has secured some €300,000 damages at the High Court over the failure of the Department of Agriculture to return to him 233 of a total of 355 cattle seized from his farm following a dispute about their welfare.