Repossession action dismissed

A High Court judge has dismissed an action by a man, which included an “incredible” €500,000 damages claim for “loss of goods”, over repossession of a council house where he lived for some four years under a caretaker agreement.

Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy said she “has considerable sympathy” for officials of Mayo County Council who have had to deal with Thomas McCormack, aged in his sixties, and who made “all reasonable efforts” to accommodate him.

Mr McCormack seems to be a man “extremely exercised by his ‘entitlements’ but appears to have scant regard for his responsibilities”, she said.

The council dealt with Mr McCormack “fairly, lawfully and appropriately” in relation to his accommodation and his personal property and any loss he may have sustained was “attributable to his own obstinacy” in not removing his personal property from the house at Parkview, Charlestown, despite being given “ample opportunity” to do so, she held.

She also awarded costs against Mr McCormack, representing himself who said he only had his pension. He disagreed with the findings and said he intended to appeal

.