An aunt and niece whose family dispute is wasting considerable Garda time have been bound to the peace.
Sergeant McNicholas described for Mullingar District Court the ongoing dispute between Theresa Kavanagh, 12 Castlelost Vale, and Elizabeth Joyce, 18 Castlelost Vale.
On December 23 the two women met each other at their estate and an incident developed arising out of an insulting gesture.
Because the disagreement uses “considerable Garda time” he said he had no option but to bring the parties before the court.
Inspector Fergus Treanor added that considerable time is wasted by the Gardaí in Rochfortbridge and “it seems there is no end in sight” in the dispute which has been going on for 16 months.
The background to the case was outlined in vague detail by both sides as a “tragic situation” where a person under investigation committed suicide.
Mr Redmond O’Regan, representing Theresa Kavanagh, said she realises she has to learn not to respond to provocation in the disagreement which is “an open sore”.
Mr Robert Marren, representing 34-year-old Elizabeth Joyce, said that “all she wants is to be left to bring up her children in peace”.
Ms Joyce is a widow and mother of three young children in what Mr Marren called “an extremely sad situation”.
Judge Elizabeth McGrath noted the pleas offered by both sides, that there were no previous convictions and that both sides requested to be bound to the peace in agreement with gardaí.
However she wanted to be sure that both sides understood that if they fail to abide with the bond, they are open to a possible prison sentence.
“I don’t want them to see it as the easiest way out of the situation here today,” she said referring to the public order charges before the court.
She said this meant there should be no trouble, no verbal abuse, and no gesticulation on either side arising out of what seemed to be “a very serious emotional issue”.
“They probably both feel justified and there may be an element of truth in their positions but that won’t help,” she said, advising that they consider independent mediation.
Both women were ordered to keep the peace for 12 months.
