Danske Bank has agreed to limit its attempts to repossess a property in Kildare to daylight hours, after an attempt to secure it during the night upset local residents.
An attempt was made to take possession of the property, which is located in Castledermot and which has been at the centre of a long-running dispute, earlier this month.
According to Kildare South TD Jack Wall, who raised the matter in the Dáil last week, “upwards of 30 men dressed in black, some with dogs and some wearing balaclavas” had arrived at the property in the middle of the night.
A public meeting organised by residents of Castledermot last weekend heard of claims that there had been trespass on neighbouring lands during the repossession attempt, and that residents felt intimidated in their homes.
“There was great concern that this was going to happen again,” said Wall. “I’m mad that this should happen in the middle of the night. This is rural Ireland we’re talking about.”
Representatives of Danske Bank and its receiver met with Wall and his fellow TD Martin Haydon last Thursday, and agreed to limit their activities to between dawn and dusk.
Paul O’Shea, the farmer at the centre of the repossession dispute, was released from prison earlier this month, after purging his contempt by agreeing to comply with a court order that barred him from interfering with the sale.
The dispute concerns the repossession of outbuildings, farm machinery and lands around the O’Shea family home, which is not subject to an order.
The Sunday Business Post understands that the receiver was able to take possession of some of the farm outbuildings last week, but later returned to find them occupied by protesters.
Representatives of the bank and the receiver are due to meet with the Gardaí tomorrow to discuss the incident. A spokeswoman for Danske Bank said it could not comment on the case, due to client confidentiality.