A lawyer for a couple at the centre of a legal battle

The High Court was told the house has now been demolished, but there are ongoing works needed to return the land to its original condition.

The owners of the house, Michael and Rose Murray, were arrested by gardaí at the court this morning when they arrived to answer a court finding that they were in contempt of court by failing to vacate the property by September 2022.

Demolition work under way at Co Meath house built without permission
Detective Sergeant Mark Looby gave evidence that it had been brought to garda attention that a haulier who was a sub-contractor at the site had received a phone call on 20 March.

Det Sgt Looby said this call was from a man with a Northern Irish accent advising him not to have anything to do with taking rubble away from the site.

The court heard the sub-contractor was told his own business would be "burnt out" if he returned to the site.

Det Sgt Looby said he was also aware of information that a security van had been burnt out at the site.

However, Det Sgt Looby said the gardaí had not received an official criminal complaint about any of these matters from anyone.

The court was also told that the main contractor had told Meath County Council that the haulage company had pulled their services.

Brian Murphy from the council gave evidence that an alternative company had been sourced, but it was proving difficult to get them on site.

Solicitor Neil McNelis, representing the couple, said it served absolutely no benefit to his clients for people to indulge in criminality.

He said they condemned any such actions, and there was a serious attempt to tar his clients "with someone else's brush".

And he said his clients did not want to give undertakings to the high court "drafted by the council" which hinted at criminality.

Mr McNelis said his clients had not breached any undertakings and were not in contempt of court.