A man living on a boat in a Dublin harbour faces being homeless after the High Court ruled the local council can scrap the vessel because of its poor and unsafe condition.
Shane Kennedy (54) has lived on a former inshore minesweeper, Portisham, since buying it in Essex, England, in 2007. It was decommissioned by the Royal Navy in 1989.
Mr Kennedy, an electronics engineer, paid €34,000 for the boat and estimates he has spent €70,000 doing it up. He spent three years in Weymouth and Pembroke before sailing to Dublin Port, where the authorities refused to allow him berth. He eventually ended up in Balbriggan harbour in October 2010.
State of boat
Fingal County Council, which controls and manages Balbriggan harbour, became concerned at the condition of the vessel particularly as the harbour is in a poor state. It commissioned reports that found serious problems with the vessel such as rotting timbers, water being taken on, lack of electrical and radio services, lack of working sanitation and generally unsafe conditions aboard, the court heard.
The council took enforcement action arguing the boat had no planning permission and breached marine regulations. It then sought High Court orders allowing it remove the vessel to Howth to be broken up for scrap.
One report concluded that to make it seaworthy would cost from €750,000 to €1 million, said Conleth Bradley SC, for the council.
Mr Kennedy, who defended himself, disputed those figures and disagreed with the findings of the council’s reports. His surveyor has found that while the boat was dirty, it was basically sound, he said.
Mr Justice John Hedigan said he sympathised with Mr Kennedy but added: “It appears all efforts to resolve the situation have failed and Mr Kennedy has also refused an offer of public housing from the council.”
He granted the council permission to tow the vessel to be broken up and awarded legal costs against Mr Kennedy, who said he intends to appeal.