Council must pay most of Lissadell legal bill

Sligo County Council is facing a bill of several million euro after the Supreme Court ordered it to pay most of the costs of the long and bitter legal row over public rights of way across the historic Lissadell estate in Co Sligo.

The full costs of the five-year legal battle are estimated to be at least €7m. The five-judge court yesterday ordered the council to pay three-quarters of the costs incurred by the owners, barristers Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy, in the High and Supreme Courts. The council must also pay its own legal costs bill.

In making the order, chief justice, Ms Justice Susan Denham, noted the owners had sought declarations there were no public rights of way over four routes.