Couple Ordered to Demolish House - any update?

My views may not be shared by society but that does not make them wrong, mr. conformist.

So-called "rural planning" (aka corruption) has ruined this country.

Here's the same for urban housing

1. Housing Affordability Problems

• High rent and property prices make it difficult for low- and middle-income families to secure adequate housing.
• Leads to housing insecurity, overcrowding, or people being forced into informal settlements.
• Worsens income inequality.

2. Overcrowding

• Rapid urbanization can create densely packed living conditions, especially in slums or low-income areas.
• Overcrowding increases the spread of infectious diseases, raises stress levels, and reduces overall quality of life.

3. Homelessness

• When demand for housing outpaces supply, more people are pushed out of the housing market.
• Lack of affordable options contributes directly to rising homelessness.

4. Social Inequality & Displacement

• Urban housing markets often reinforce social and economic inequalities.
• Gentrification can displace long-term residents, breaking up communities and cultural networks.
• Segregation between income groups becomes more pronounced.

5. Environmental Degradation

• Poorly planned housing contributes to urban sprawl, which increases pollution, traffic congestion, and loss of green spaces.
• Older or badly designed buildings consume more energy, increasing carbon emissions.

6. Pressure on Infrastructure

• High-density housing without adequate planning can overwhelm water, sewage, electricity, and transportation systems.
• Results in frequent outages, traffic congestion, and poor sanitation.

7. Health Problems

• Substandard housing can cause respiratory issues, mold-related illness, and poor mental health.
• Lack of ventilation, clean water, and proper waste disposal in informal settlements worsens health risks.

8. Decline in Quality of Life

• Noise pollution, limited privacy, lack of recreational space, and long commute times all reduce residents’ well-being.
• Unsafe or poorly maintained buildings increase risks of injury.

9. Increased Crime

• Areas with inadequate housing or high population density often experience higher crime rates due to unemployment, social stress, and weak social cohesion.

10. Rising Construction Costs and Land Conflicts

• High land value can lead to illegal land grabbing, conflict between developers and communities, or corruption in housing allocation.
• Expensive construction can prioritize profit-driven luxury housing, leaving affordable housing neglected.

Summary

Urban housing can create serious social, economic, environmental, and health challenges when poorly planned or inadequately managed. The key negative impacts include affordability issues, displacement, environmental stress, infrastructure overload, health risks, social inequality, and rising homelessness.

ChatGPT will give you the answer you want. It does not and cannot always see the full picture.

There are obviously advantages and disadvantages to both. That's why we have both rural and urban housing. It's why the rules and criteria which rural houses are required to meet are different to those that urban housing needs to meet.

Yes, septic tanks and wastewater treatment systems designed and installed donkeys years ago do not meet acceptable criteria today. Modern standards and requirements for rural housing are far more strict (and have often been the main factor in planning applications being refused).

It's not so much what options the Council have, it's the courts. There are court orders against the Murrays. If they refuse to abide by court orders they're looking at fines and then possible prison sentences for further refusal/contempt.

It's a fact and it's an international problem, particularly in the USA where Irish rural people share a lot of habits like the petrol station selling crap processed food being a social hub. Rural Ireland isn't in fact served well by public transport, that's a misnomer. And those open spaces are mostly private property and farmland. Many will have to drive to get to walk instead of leaving the house on foot or on a bike.

On what basis could they possibly appeal to the ECHR?

And more to the point, how would thewy pay for it?

Peregrinus provided a decent answer to this a few pages back;

Short answer being no, given the length of time and how much of it has already been determined by numerous Irish courts, and the fact there's no real breach of human rights.