THE FORMER wife of convicted drug dealer John Gilligan is still unhappy with the terms of a caretaker agreement which the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) wants her to sign as a condition of remaining in the house attached to the Jessbrook Equestrian Centre in Co Meath, the High Court heard yesterday.
Geraldine Gilligan says Jessbrook House in Enfield is her home and she is opposing the agency’s attempts to take it from her and her former husband.
The High Court has found that the dwelling and the equestrian centre were the proceeds of crime. That decision is being appealed by the Gilligans to the Supreme Court.
Pending the outcome of further proceedings, Mr Justice Kevin Feeney has directed that Ms Gilligan can continue to live in Jessbrook under a caretaker agreement. Last month the judge said Ms Gilligan could have more time to look at the terms of the caretaker agreement because she was not happy with it.
She expressed a fear that gardaí would have access to the house and also concern about a requirement – under the insurance policy put in place by the Cab – that if the house was unoccupied for more than 24 hours, the water must be turned off or the heat switched on.
Richard Humphreys, for Ms Gilligan, told the High Court yesterday there were still “three or four points outstanding” in relation to the caretaker arrangement.
Ben Ó Floinn, for the bureau, said the outstanding issues had been dealt with as far as his side was concerned.
Mr Justice Feeney said it was clear he would have to hear arguments on these matters and he adjourned the case to next week when issues in relation to other assets owned by other members of the Gilligan family are also to be dealt with.
The Cab has made arrangements for insuring and renting out a number of properties to which its legal officer Frank Cassidy has been appointed receiver.
These include Jessbrook House lands and arena, the former Gilligan family home in Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown, and two houses in Lucan which were bought by John Gilligan for his son Darren and daughter Tracey.