Court-ordered demolition of Trag chalet is nearly finished

A DISTRICT court judge told a teacher that the opprobrium she suffered following the publication of her case in the local and national press was probably punishment enough.

Judge James McNulty made the remark at Skibbereen District Court when he gave Fiona McCarthy of Bawnlahan, Tragumna, the benefit of a conditional discharge after she failed to comply with an enforcement notice service on her by Cork County Council.

The notice required her to demolish a building that had been constructed on a small plot of land at Tragumna.

Donnchadh McCarthy, the barrister for Cork County Council, said an old timber chalet had been increased in size from 30 metres squared to 40 metres squared, just 2.5m from a neighbouring property. He said planning permission had been refused by Cork County Council and An Bord Pleanála, and that a retention application had also been refused. He confirmed that the demolition work was substantially complete, all that was left for the defendant to do was to remove a small amount of timber decking and re-seed the grass.

In mitigation, Liam O'Donovan, solicitor, said that his client had pleaded guilty to the offence and rectified matters. He said his client would also comply with the court order to pay the Council's costs and expenses of €6,452.

Judge McNulty said it was clear Ms McCarthy had 'overstepped the mark and failed to get the message' before complying with the order. He imposed a conditional discharge under the Probation Act. It requires the defendant to enter a bond to be of good behaviour for the next two years.