Man claims he’ll be homeless after court orders scrapping of boat
A MAN living on a boat in a harbour has said he will be “homeless” after the High Court ruled the local council can scrap the vessel because of its decrepit and unsafe condition.
Shane Kennedy (54), who has lived with his daughter in a former inshore minesweeper in Balbriggan harbour, north Dublin, for over two years, said he has nowhere to go if the council presses ahead with plans to dismantle the boat.
Mr Kennedy, an electronics engineer, paid €34,000 for the boat and a further €70,000 doing it up after it was bought in Essex, England, in 2007.
He had spent three years in Weymouth and Pembroke before sailing the Portisham to Dublin Port where the authorities there refused to allow him berth before he eventually ended up in Balbriggan harbour in October 2010.
Fingal County Council, which controls and manages Balbriggan harbour, became concerned at the condition of the vessel particularly because the harbour itself is in a very poor state.
It took enforcement action because not only did it not have planning permission but it was in breach of marine regulations. It then sought High Court orders allowing the council itself to remove the vessel to Howth where it can be broken up for scrap.
“I will be homeless if they force me off the boat – there's nowhere for me to go,” Mr Kennedy said following yesterday's verdict.
The council commissioned a number of reports which found serious problems with the vessel including rotting timbers, water being taken on, lack of electrical and radio services, lack of working sanitation, and generally unsafe conditions aboard it, the court heard.
“I intend to appeal and I'm prepared to go to the European Court on this, for the right of people to live this way,” Mr Kennedy said.
“The council have not told me when they'll take the boat away but I've suggested that they give me six months to get the boat right and get it out of here. They said they'll write to me and arrange a meeting to discuss that.”