Engineers and council responsible for knocking family home

The High Court has found that consultant engineers and Limerick County Council were responsible for the wrongful demolition of a family home during the construction of a new dual carriageway between Limerick and Nenagh.

Brian and Mary O’Shaughnessy described the destruction of their single-storey two-bedroom old Irish farmhouse, ‘The Hollows’ at Annaholty, Birdhill, Co Tipperary on September 6, 2006, was a nightmare. The site was never used for the new road.

Giving judgment, Mr Justice Donald Binchy, who said it was “abundantly clear” what happened “was not down to any single act”, found the consultant engineers, which was a joint venture called RPS Scetauroute, was 70% responsible while the local authority was 30% responsible.