Judge orders squatters out of ‘tinderbox’ Dublin property

A Dublin property, described as “a tinderbox” where up to 20 people are believed to be squatting, must be immediately vacated and cannot be used for residential purposes, a High Court judge has ordered.

On Thursday, Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted Dublin City Council orders directing that persons living at 414 North Circular Road, Dublin 7 must immediately vacate the premise due to fire safety concerns.

The property, which DCC fire safety officers say represents a risk to life if a fire broke out, is a mid terrace three storey building, with three bedrooms on the first floor and two rooms on the top floor.

DCC, represented by Conleth Bradley SC and Karen Denning Bl, believes between 15 and 20 foreign nationals had been squatting in the building.

Following a complaint from a member of the public earlier this year, DCC inspected and served a fire safety notice on the property, Mr Bradley said.

Arising out a recent inspection, the council’s fire safety officer says any fire in the building would spread rapidly. DCC also says there are no adequate means of escaping the building, no fire extinguishers, and rubbish and combustible material was stored inside the property.

Counsel said DCC’s most recent inspection of the building revealed a camping stove was being used for cooking, and the building’s electricity supply was from an unknown source, although a car battery was observed by a safety officer.

In the event of a fire starting the risk to the lives of those residing in the house was “so great” the premises should be immediately evacuated, counsel said. The premises was a “tinderbox”, he added.

Counsel said the building is registered in the names of Lily Kilroy, who died in 1997, and Eileen Doorly, who died in 2006. DCC believed that Edward Doorley, Mrs Doorly’s son and Ms Kilroy’s nephew, has control of the building and was the appropriate person against whom orders could be made.

Counsel said DCC had corresponded with Mr Doorly, who informed them his mother and aunt had died intestate and no grant of administration had been applied for. Mr Doorly had told DCC officials the premises had been unoccupied for some time but squatters had moved in and he had “endless problems” with them.

Mr Doorly said last May he had had the electricity to the premises cut off and indicated he was taking legal measures to have the squatters removed from the premises. Despite indicating an intention to do so, Mr Doorly had not taken any legal steps against the squatters, counsel said.

Ms Justice Noonan said, having considered DCC’s evidence to the court, he agreed the premises was a “tinderbox”. In the circumstances, he was satisfied to grant the injunctions sought on an ex parte basis against Mr Doorly, requiring the premises to be vacated by persons residing there.

The judge said the orders should be posted at the premises and returned the matter to next Tuesday.