Lavin mansion case adjourned

An application to remove the businesswoman Jackie Lavin from a luxury Italianate mansion, formerly owned by her partner Bill Cullen, in the heart of the Killarney National Park has been adjourned.

The circuit civil court in Tralee, Co Kerry, was told Ms Lavin has gone ahead with High Court proceedings claiming she is beneficial owner of Killegy House. Receivers for Glencullen Properties Ltd, the company formerly owned by Mr Cullen, have been seeking to remove the celebrity businesswoman from the house. The Italianate house with landscaped gardens and tennis court overlooking Killarney lakes, was built by Mr Cullen.

Ms Lavin had been a tenant of the house, the court was told in July when Ms Lavin was ordered to file her statement of claim, outlining her assertion of ownership, within 14 days.

Receivers Tom Kavanagh and Ken Fennell had sought her removal in late 2012 and a the dispute went to the Private Residential Tenancies Board. In February 2014 the board ordered Ms Lavin to vacate Killegy.

Yesterday, when it came before Judge Donagh McDonagh at the circuit civil court in Tralee, Deirdre Quinn, on behalf of Arthur Cox solicitors in Dublin said the case had been adjourned twice.

But Andrew O’Connell solicitor for Ms Lavin said his application was for an adjournment of the proceedings to January 19.

Mr O’Connell told the court her Dublin solicitor has issued proceedings in the High Court claiming a right of ownership to the property.

Judge Donagh McDonagh adjourned the matter, by consent, to January 19.