Lissadell bill now over €5m

SLIGO County Council has revealed it has been sent a bill for €3.6million in legal costs incurred by the owners of Lissadell House.

In a long running legal case which it ultimately lost in the Supreme Court, the Council was found responsible for all of its own legal costs and 75% of the costs of Edward Walsh and Constance Cassidy, owners of Lissadell. Some €2m had already been paid out in the council’s own legal costs.

At its annual budget meeting on Monday, the council revealed the liability from the other side was €3.68m but it is was likely that the final cost will be less following negotiation between both sides. A period of time will be required for a detailed examination of the Bill of Costs to be followed by negotiations between the sides, with an option to refer the matter to the Taxing Master for adjudication in default of agreement. A final decision on costs will not be known until late 2018 or indeed into 2019, the council stated. CEO Ciaran Hayes said the costs will be paid by funds owed to the Council by the Department and Retained Earnings being redistributed back to the Local Authorities by Irish Public Bodies, the Council’s insurer. The Cathaoirleach, Cllr. Seamus Kilgannon, also welcomed the developments saying that he is “happy that the long running issue is now nearing an end and with closure on this issue, together with the planned infrastructural developments, Sligo can now look forward to a period of growth.”