CONVICTED DRUG dealer John Gilligan's ex-wife Geraldine is unhappy that proposals by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) for caretaking of the Jessbrook Equestrian Centre in Co Meath may mean gardaí have access to the house at Jessbrook where she is living, the High Court heard yesterday.
Mrs Gilligan also wants more information about proposals to use the equestrian centre buildings as an Office of Public Works storage facility, her counsel Richard Humphries said.
Mrs Gilligan would like to know whether it might be used "for storing electronic voting machines", he quipped.
The storage proposal was outlined in court as part of the Cab's interim plans to look after Jessbrook and other properties owned by the Gilligan family under a court order appointing the bureau's legal officer as receiver over the properties, pending the outcome of a legal action over ownership of the properties.
Mrs Gilligan was in court to hear the Cab's plans for Jessbrook, owned by her, and for two other properties in Lucan, co-owned by John Gilligan and his children Tracey and Darren, and for the former family home at Corduff Avenue, Blanchardstown.
Earlier this month, the High Court appointed the bureau's legal officer Frank Cassidy over the properties pending further proceedings. Mr Justice Kevin Feeney said Mrs Gilligan could remain in the house attached to Jessbrook, while her son could continue to live at the Corduff Avenue house.
This was to be done under caretaker agreements outlined to the judge. Mr Humphries said Mrs Gilligan only had notice of the proposals last Friday and needed time to consider them.
Michael McDowell SC, for the Cab, said there was no objection to a further adjournment, but their side was just trying to meet the deadline for the proposed arrangements as set by the court.
Mr McDowell said Mrs Gilligan had expressed unhappiness that anybody other than herself would have the keys of the house at Jessbrook and she "did not want the gardaí to have access". However, it was standard in any landlord/tenant relationship that the landlord would keep a set of keys and access to the property would only be by arrangement.
Mr Humphries said Mrs Gilligan wanted only herself and her solicitor to have the keys and it was a matter which went to her constitutional right to privacy and peace of mind in her own home.
The judge said such matters could be dealt with when the case comes before the court again next month.