Pensioner yet to receive any compensation for botched job

NO MONEY has been paid to a Crossabeg householder awarded €46,000 for a botched job on his driveway by the District Court more than five years ago.

Eighty-year-old Greg Ryan of Oak Drive, Garrywilliam, Crossabeg came back to a court sitting in Gorey looking for money from John Kehoe of Cooltigue, Bree.

The judge learned that proceedings dated back to 2011 when Ryan, who attended the proceedings on March 15 with his wife, was awarded the decree for the €46,000.

The case was raised because Kehoe had failed to meet the terms of an instalment order.

The respondent told Judge John Cheatle that he was working at a Norfolk construction site in the UK on a self-employed basis.

He offered to pay €3,000 every two months off the debt.

This offer was given a guarded welcome by solicitor Caitriona Walsh appearing for the plaintiff.

She noted that the building contractor before the court had previously made assurances.

He had said that he had work in Westmeath, promising that €6,000 would be forthcoming.

And he signed documents which would allow the Ryans take the pay-out from an ‘investment vehicle’ abroad.

Ms Walsh reported that, though the accountancy firm in the UK dealing with this vehicle had a website, the correspondence she had been provided with by Kehoe was on plain paper with no printed letterhead.

She was concerned that the firm had not responded so far to her by either letter or email.

The solicitor felt that the court was owed an explanation for the lack of any progress in dealing with the decree of 2011.

Judge Cheatle told John Kehoe that he was running out of road and it was likely a judge will put him in prison unless commitments given are fulfilled.

The court noted that the respondent was due to be paid in the UK on April 26 and put the matter back to May 17.

In the meantime, Ms Walsh indicated that she intended making enquiries about the British accountants with the relevant professional governing body.