Judiciary denies Farmer access to his land in West Cork:

Coillte in breach of FSC certificate

The following is an account of Coillte/State/Judiciary arrogance and bullying which takes some beating.

For the purpose of this account, I shall refer to the present landowner as "the farmer".

The farmer owns 7 acres of land in the middle of a Coillte wood at Goulacullin, Dunmanway, Co. Cork (Folio No: 60593).

These 7 acres was originally taken, by "mistake", from the previous owner by Coillte in the early seventies. The original owner confronted Coillte about this, and Coillte subsequently gave it back to him. Coillte constructed a track in or about 1973, from the public road through these 7 acres, and on to other Coillte land beyond the 7 acres, in the early seventies. The original owner has used this track to get to his land ever since, without objection or interference.

In October 2005, Coillte took the farmer to Court in an attempt to get the 7 acres off him. It must be stated that a Solicitor asked Coillte, in 1996, if they owned the 7 acres. Coillte replied (letter of proof available), and said that they "don’t own it, nor could they grant a right of way over it."

Coillte were unsuccessful in their attempt to rob the farmer of his land. However, as the Judge was about to leave the Court, Coillte’s barrister asked if they could "deny the farmer access to his land." The Judge granted their request, denied the farmer access to his land, and denied him an appeal.

Coillte then placed a lock on the barrier at the public road at the start of the track going to the farmer’s land.

This farmer is now landlocked because Coillte didn’t get their way in robbing him of his land, assisted by the Judiciary! Is this corruption or what?!

Coillte are clearly in breach of their FSC certificate.

Please lend your support to this man by contacting your local TD, or email the Minister at:  mary.wallace@oireachtas.ie

Your help is greatly appreciated.