The High Court has ordered that Michael Corrigan's proceedings concerning a house in County Wexford be sent to the Circuit Court, where substantially the same dispute over the property is already being litigated.
Ms Justice Nessa Cahill delivered judgment on July 18, 2025. The case concerns the estate of Michael Redmond, who died in December 2021 and whose will divided his estate among 38 nieces and nephews.
The estate includes a dwelling known as The Bungalow at Iskabeg, The Ballagh, Enniscorthy. The executors began Circuit Court proceedings in November 2022 seeking possession of the property from Corrigan and his daughter, Shinead Corrigan.
In August 2023, they counterclaimed. Their reliefs included specific performance of an alleged agreement that the deceased would leave the property to Michael Corrigan, a declaration that he was legally and beneficially entitled to it, and alternative damages including €60,000 on a quantum meruit basis, meaning payment claimed for the value of work or services provided.
Corrigan then issued separate High Court proceedings in December 2023. The court found that the orders sought were almost identical to those already claimed in the Circuit Court. The principal difference was that the alternative quantum meruit claim was increased to €286,000, without an explanation for the change.
The High Court noted that the parties had already agreed that the Circuit Court could exercise unlimited monetary jurisdiction over Corrigan's counterclaim. The property, parties and witnesses also had a closer connection with County Wexford, while no unusually complex legal issue or other feature justified retaining the case in the High Court.
Ms Justice Cahill said litigants should not use two different courts simultaneously to pursue substantially the same claims. She also noted the practical effect on the estate: administration was being delayed while costs continued to accrue, affecting 38 beneficiaries aged between 50 and 79.
The proceedings were therefore remitted to the South Eastern Circuit to be dealt with before a Circuit Court judge in County Wexford. The court provisionally indicated that the executors should recover their costs of the remittal motion.