The High Court has dismissed Brian McDonagh’s appeal against an order giving Promontoria Scariff DAC possession of Dromin House in Delgany, County Wicklow, while leaving the question of costs and the existing stay for a later hearing.
In a judgment delivered on 12 March 2024, Mr Justice Conleth Bradley affirmed the Circuit Court order made on 18 January 2023. The appeal was heard afresh, or de novo. The judge found that Promontoria had established its entitlement to possession under mortgages over the property and that McDonagh had not raised a credible defence requiring a full trial.
Promontoria’s case was that McDonagh had defaulted on loan repayments and had not complied with demands to repay or give up the property. The court reviewed the loan and mortgage documents, evidence of the transfer of the loans and security to Promontoria, account records and demand letters. It concluded that Promontoria had proved the mortgages, its entitlement under them and the default. The proceedings sought possession, not a judgment fixing the amount of debt due.
McDonagh disputed Promontoria’s reliance on records originating with Ulster Bank and challenged the account evidence and amount claimed. The judge rejected those arguments, finding that the evidence and affidavits supported the claim. The court also held that disputes over the loan figures did not answer the central question of default in this possession case. Allegations concerning Fane Investments were part of separate proceedings and were not relevant to the application before the court.
The judgment also recounts that McDonagh’s partner, Yeoksee Ooi, sought an adjournment because she had recently begun separate proceedings challenging the Family Home Protection Act 1976. Ooi lives at the property but has no legal interest in it and was not a party to the mortgage. The judge refused the adjournment, saying her challenge was outside the scope of the appeal and that the request had come late. He did not determine her constitutional challenge.
The Circuit Court order, affirmed on appeal, directs that Promontoria recover possession of Dromin House. The order had been stayed for 18 months from service; the judgment said that stay was due to expire on 7 September 2024. The High Court listed the case for 22 March 2024 to hear the parties, including Ooi, on the stay and to address costs. The judgment does not state the outcome of that later hearing.