Farmer's latest appeal in long-running dispute is dismissed

The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a Roscommon farmer against injunctions preventing him from placing animals on lands subject to sale proceedings. Eugene Costello of Taughmaconnell, Ballinasloe challenged a 2017 High Court decision granting Carlisle Mortgages injunctions requiring removal of livestock from his property at Coolfree. The three-judge court upheld the original injunctions and rejected his application to have the lender's proceedings struck out. Carlisle Mortgages is seeking to sell the lands following Mr Costello's alleged failure to repay a loan advanced in 2004. He has been detained on three separate occasions for contempt of court orders directing removal of animals from the property. Mr Justice Michael Peart, delivering the ruling, found that Mr Costello's argument regarding renewal of possession orders was without merit and that issues concerning the loan should have been raised during the original 2006 possession proceedings.