A marquee that was erected for a wedding reception this evening has been dismantled by contractors after Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council was granted a court order for its removal.
The parents of a man who got married in Co Armagh this morning were earlier told by a judge to take down the marquee they had erected at their Dublin home.
Dublin Circuit Civil Court heard the marquee, with seating for up to 60 people, had been erected at a halting site in Burton Park, Leopardstown Road, Dublin.
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council was granted leave by the court to hire an independent contractor to remove the marquee if Michael and Johanna Connors refused to do it themselves.
The judge also said she would make an order restraining the Connors, and anyone else knowing about the court injunction, from interfering with independent contractor employees while demolishing the wedding marquee.
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Barrister Niall Flynn, for the council, said Mr Connors yesterday told a council official he knew he was breaching tenancy and Covid-19 rules and regulations but the reception at No 3 Burton Park, Leopardstown Road, Dublin 18, would go ahead.
He said an official was told last night by Mr Connors that his son was getting married this morning in Co Armagh and the marquee was to facilitate 40 guests and would be going ahead.
The court heard that when told he was breaching regulations, Mr Connors replied: "I know all that. I know I'm breaching my tenancy but it is my son's wedding and he has no other place to go."
The council was also given leave to broadcast the court's orders on national radio stations even as the bride and groom and their guests were on their way from Co Armagh for today’s planned 6pm reception in Co Dublin.
Mr Donovan said the gardaí were supporting the council’s application and when he asked Mr Connors to take the marquee down, he replied: "I can’t take it down. My son’s wedding is going ahead and I accept the consequences of not taking it down."
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said after the injunction application that the council would be moving immediately to take the marquee down or hire an independent contractor to do the work for it.
Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin said she noticed from photographs of the marquee that there were 11 tables surrounded by chairs, enough to accommodate more than 60 people.
Mr Flynn told the court the council considered the planned reception to be a breach of Covid-19 regulations in the middle of a pandemic as well as breaking a tenancy agreement.
The local authority was also concerned about the lack of insurance cover for this evening's event.
Judge Ní Chúlacháin gave the council leave to serve personal notice on Mr Connors and also pin up notices outlining details of the court's orders.
The judge also directed that everyone associated with the reception, including the bridal party and guests, be warned they had been restrained from entering the marquee.
Mr Flynn indicated that the council had significant concerns relating to the use of the marquee for the wedding reception which, he said, unless restrained by the court the Connors planned to go ahead with.
In a statement, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council confirmed that it carried out the removal of the temporary structure as per the court order.
