23-year-old Zoe Byrne of Pearse Street, Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin, is finding herself homeless after neighbours complained of her antisocial behaviour, according to the Independent.ie.
The expecting mum lost her local authority home after a Judge Jacqueline Linnane ruled in the favour of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, granting them a possession order for the home.
The judge noted that complaints about Zoe started rolling into the County Council offices only 10 days after the pregnant woman moved into her home.
Judge Linnane said that Zoe had brought homelessness upon herself with her behaviour, including parties that raged on all night, with attendees shouting, jumping, and listening to loud music.
Her neighbours couldn’t sleep because of the racket. One suffers from MS and has four children to care for. They said that Zoe’s occupancy of the house had made life intolerable.
Zoe also allowed rubbish to accumulate, leading to an infestation of rats. One neighbor can no longer allow their children to play outside because of the vermin problem.
“I have no doubt there are many other people urgently awaiting housing who would jump at the opportunity for accommodation as rented to Ms. Byrne and who would be quite willing to get on with their neighbours,” the judge said, reports Independent.ie. Judge Linnane said she had seen pictures of the flat, which appeared modern and inviting.
Zoe had been given a last chance before, when she was brought before the District Court for the disturbances and agreed to live peaceably with her neighbours.
Unfortunately, Liam O’Donovan, a manager in the council’s housing department, said that Zoe did not live up to this agreement and had since received both written warnings and visits about her activities. The gardaí were called to her house for one incident in order to remove a man who had no right to be there.
Judge Linnane noted that Zoe appealed a decision of the District Court that gave the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown council the possession order for her home after she violated her undertaking to behave more amiably.
Zoe’s counsel, Barrister Marc Murphy, said that the possession order was a disproportionate reaction to what had happened.
He said that dismissing the expecting mum’s appeal would make her homeless. Marc asked for an adjournment so Zoe could show how she improved her behaviour, and said, “A sad feature of this case is that it has taken a long time for the penny to drop for Ms. Byrne.”
The pregnant woman admitted that she had a problem with drugs and alcohol, but now was avoiding such substances.
Judge Linnane refused Zoe’s appeal and did not allow a grant for her to stay in the apartment before the possession order takes effect. The judge also made an order for costs against Zoe.
