Couple Ordered to Demolish House - any update?

zell12 · 19-03-2026 11:21AM

the pre-recorded 'interview' https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/clairebyrne/rose-murray-on-the-plans-to-demolish-her-meath-home-today

adaminho · 19-03-2026 11:24AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124323937#Comment_124323937

While I do hope they recover all of their possessions before demolition, hard to know where they’ll store them

If only someone had several large metal containers nearby!

alias no.9 · 19-03-2026 11:26AM

Comments summarized as 'not much sympathy'

chooseusername · 19-03-2026 12:08PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124323952#Comment_124323952

Thanks for that. Was she saying there that the sterilisation order was put in place after they applied for planning?

The last house built on that land got planning in July 2005. The Murrays applied for their planning 10 months later, so a fairly tight timeline.

Oscar_Madison · 19-03-2026 12:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124323960#Comment_124323960

I assume those too will be taken away?

JVince · 19-03-2026 12:24PM

They are now trying to court public pity.

They stuck two fingers up at neighbours

They stuck two fingers up at the planning system

They stuck two fingers up at the courts

They stuck two fingers up at each and every opportunity

Now they want pity

Oscar_Madison · 19-03-2026 12:26PM

So were the lands “sterilised” or not? Or is sterilisation a red herring and that they were refused planning all along simply because their proposed structure was not in keeping and that water services were also the issue- which is a reason a lot of properties get refused planning

“While a planning condition for a nearby residence stated an agreement sterilising (preventing) the lands from any other housing or non-agricultural development should be entered into – and the council relied on that in refusing permission to the Murrays – it was accepted no sterilisation agreement was ever entered.”

https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2026/03/16/council-takes-control-of-meath-house-built-without-planning-permission-on-foot-of-high-court-order/

Penn · 19-03-2026 12:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324052#Comment_124324052

The sterilisation order was part of that previous planning which was granted; that those applicants were only given permission on the basis that a sterilisation order was agreed to for the rest of the land to prevent further development on it. The Murrays then bought the land, were told there was a sterilisation order on the land and they wouldn't be granted planning, and then built anyway.

watchclocker · 19-03-2026 12:28PM

One main thing struck me listening to newstalk

She claims that her poor children are now homeless and wants us to feel sorry for them but at the same time didn't care enough to stay in the country, and has abandoned them to fend for themselves against these masked men

She looked after number 1 by going on the run as she says she'll be arrested if she stays

Oscar_Madison · 19-03-2026 12:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324090#Comment_124324090

see my post above from the Meath Chronicle- any idea what that’s about given it’s indicating no sterilisation rule in place.
I’m confussed

JVince · 19-03-2026 12:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324052#Comment_124324052

Land was sterlised when the previous owner of the lands (local farmer) got planning for his son on part of the land. The sterilisation was a special condition of the planning and would have been known when the murrays bought it.

It did not suddenly appear. Any basic search that any solicitor would have done as part of very basic conveyancing would have shown the sterilisation condition and a solicitor would have advised that development would not be permitted.

So either they had the worst solicitor in the country or they knew.

You have to understand that the Murrays have not been truthful in many many aspects of their statements and this is just another lie they are spouting.

I have knowledge of how the sterlisation works as land around me is sterilised as condition of my permission to build my house. It is rigidly enforced.

Penn · 19-03-2026 12:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324089#Comment_124324089

It was agreed as part of the planning permission for a house in the corner of the site that a sterilisation order would be agreed to. It later transpired this was never fully finalised. However, that doesn't negate the Council's reasons for seeking the sterilisation order (to prevent excessive development of the area) or for refusing the Murrays applications for that same reason, with or without the actual sterilisation order.

It was also only one of the reasons for refusing permission, particularly when you then add in the size and scale of the house they built which was far in excess of reasonable development.

So the sterilisation order may not have been finalised or fully signed (though it could easily be argued that as it was a condition of the granted planning permission by the previous applicant who built in the corner of the full site and they did built, that is tacit agreement of that condition), the principle and spirit of the reason for refusal remains. Particularly when considering that the Murrays had no idea the sterilisation was not fully signed when they decided to ignore planning permission and just build what they wanted regardless.

sydthebeat · 19-03-2026 12:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324099#Comment_124324099

It's possible, and I'm only surmising here, that the condition of a previous permission required the land owner to enter into a sterilisation order with the council, covering the rest of the landholding in that area. This was not at all unusual at the time.

This is a legal agreement in which solicitors need to be involved with, maps produced etc.

It's possible that the land owner never entered into this legal agreement and simply sold the lands on.

The solicitor for the purchasers (Murphy's) should have done their due diligence and flagged this issue to the Murphy's prior to purchase, or the Murphy's may not have had a solicitor involved in this purchase. It's quite possible the Murphy's purchased at a reduced rate (agricultural rate) anyway as any purchase for a site would have been "subject to planning permission". So essentially they bought a field in which the council had ordered a sterilisation on, but hadn't been enacted. As purchasers, they then would have been subject to that sterilisation order and it was their responsibility to enter into the agreement with the council.

Obviously this never happened. Planning permission was applied for and, as expected, refused. Murphy's then ignored planning law and built an unauthorized monstrosity

Oscar_Madison · 19-03-2026 12:41PM

Thanks both - clear now. 👍

Dial Hard · 19-03-2026 12:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124323878#Comment_124323878

An absolute load of me hoop. She's saying that out of one side of her mouth, and then complaining about them being homeless and potentially having to move to England when the house is demolished out of the other. How would giving the house to charity have resolved/avoided outcome B in any way???

The media reporting on this today is really, really poor, I have to say. If you were a "lay" person reading about this for the first time you'd think they were being treated appallingly, not reaping the rewards of 20 years of their own stupidity and hubris. "Being treated worse than the Kinahans", would you ever fcuk right off with that shite, luv.

L1011 · 19-03-2026 12:50PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324132#Comment_124324132

The charity thing must be that they thought they could offload it to McVerry or similar, then become the homeless family housed in it and pay social housing rents.

They thought they could give it to the council and do that too.

Deeec · 19-03-2026 12:53PM

Deadful interview. She came across very poorly and her bully attitude came through.

When the going got tough she left the country and left her kids to face it. No doubt she's in the sun somewhere so obviously has money behind her. Not clear whether husband is with her or not.

There is no fear of them being homeless. Im sure they have arrangements made. Her true colors shone through when she got offended at the suggestion her kids would go to a b and b and she started on about refugees which is completely unrelated to what was being discussed.

I have no sympathy for them. Planning laws are there for a reason and should be abided. If they were let away with this then everyone would do the same. Glad to see this outcome as a lesson for others.

Ardent · 19-03-2026 12:58PM

I called it ages ago on here that they'd go to the European Court of Human Rights as a last resort. Not sure if it's too late now or if they can still get a stay on the demolition.

muffler · 19-03-2026 01:02PM

Rose Murray came across as a bit of a racist in the radio interview. When asked if her son was going to a B&B she went on a mini rant about how how he couldn't be living in such a place and it filled with immigrants.

I laughed when she claimed all the neighbours came out in support yesterday. I'd be fairly sure they were there to satisfy their curiosity only.

L1011 · 19-03-2026 01:16PM

Demolition apparently underway, albeit it looks like a broken window so far…

Demolition of illegally-built Co Meath home under way – The Irish Times

Place also looks super stripped out for somewhere where three people were eating breakfast together yesterday morning.

chooseusername · 19-03-2026 01:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324090#Comment_124324090

So they bought the land after the sterilisation and knowing it was sterilised, went ahead and applied for planning for the smaller bungalow?
Rose said they went through pre planning and nothing was flagged. So some porky pies being fired around.

Penn · 19-03-2026 01:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324205#Comment_124324205

Even if they weren't told during pre-planning, it was a reason for refusal on their planning application for the smaller house. So regardless of the pre-planning, they knew before building that the Council were refusing permission due to the sterilisation order (which was meant to be in place) on the land and the underlying reasons for the sterilisation order, among other reasons.

Pre-planning is only ever a quick overview by a planner with general advice and pointing out what could be some of the main issues. It's not all-encompassing and doesn't always delve into full detail to spot things like sterilisation orders which the planner may not have fully looked into, but which is looked into as part of the actual planning application. You can think everything will sail through after a positive pre-planning meeting with the planner, and something crops up during the actual planning application review which results in a refusal. Pre-planning ultimately does not matter when it comes to the final decision.

The Murrays didn't like the final decision, so they built something over twice as large because if they were going to ignore the law and planning, may as well do it in (gaudy) style.

standardg60 · 19-03-2026 01:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324192#Comment_124324192

Lovely day for it..

Gloomtastic! · 19-03-2026 01:33PM

Hard to know what to think about this.

Big brother having the last word? You can’t have us commoners doing what we like without box tickers getting involved. Anarchy would surely ensue.

Or just pig-ignorant cute-hoorism with ideas above their station.

Such a waste of resources and money. Will we ever learn?

harr · 19-03-2026 01:40PM

Similar situation happened a neighbor of ours .. they owned a lovely big site 6 acres and had the intention of his 3 children building on it eventually.. first girl to get married looked for permission for a modest 4 bed bungalow .. she got planning to use half an acre in very bottom corner and condition was no other house to be built on site .. the older brothers did look for planning and put a lot of money into trying to get it but were denied. Eventually they had to buy a site with a derelict house and got planning for two houses on that site fairly quickly.

They were pissed off and probably rightfully so but the taught of just pushing ahead with building never entered their head and just had to accept it

Oscar_Madison · 19-03-2026 01:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124324192#Comment_124324192

“She said she would not watch the house being demolished. “I’m staying away until the order is lifted for my arrest so that I can actually come into the country.””

Ha ha- good luck with that Missus😀