A WICKLOW firm of solicitors was granted permission in the High Court yesterday to discontinue acting for Mr John Corneill and two companies which had been involved in the running of the Clonmannon House retirement village near Ashford, now in liquidation.
In an affidavit, Mr Declan M Whittle, of Haughton McCarroll of Summerhill, said that for some considerable time he had difficulty getting instructions from Mr Corneill. He believed Mr Corneill was no longer residing in this State.
He said matters came to a head about July 19th, 1995. As a result of discussions between Mr Corneill and himself it became apparent the solicitor/client relationship had completely broken down. He told Mr Corneill that the firm would no longer be prepared to act for him.
Last October, the President of the High Court, Mr Justice Costello, ordered the winding up of Rayhill Property Co Ltd, Home Affairs Ltd and Hilltop Catering Ltd. The companies were not represented in court when the application for the winding up order was brought by the Minister for Enterprise and Employment.
Mr Justice Costello, when appointing a liquidator, said it had been established that the three companies involved in running the village had been mismanaged and their assets improperly misappropriated. The Revenue Commissioners, claiming to be owed more than £400,000, was stated to be the biggest creditor.
The October court hearing was told the retirement village had operated since the early 1980s. At the winding up of Rayhill Property its directors were named as Ms Mary Corneill, Willowmead Park, Prestbury, Cheshire, and Mr John Corneill.
In 1988 it took over the property at Clonmannon from Retirement Ireland Ltd (in receivership). Care and maintenance was entrusted under separate agreements to Home Affairs Ltd and in 1992 the obligations of Home Affairs Ltd were assumed by Hilltop Catering Ltd.
Residents complained about the operation of the village and began withholding rent. By November 1993 the majority of residents had ceased to pay.