Demolition work is continuing on a house in Co Meath which was at the centre of a 20-year-long legal battle.
Vehicles and machinery could be seen this morning conducting the demolition at the 577 sq/m (6,220 sq ft) house in Bohermeen, which was built in 2006 without planning permission.
A lawyer for Meath County Council confirmed in court yesterday that the council was in the process of demolishing the property.
The council took possession of the house on foot of a High Court order issued on Monday.
An order for the demolition of the property remained in place following a hearing at the High Court yesterday.
There have been numerous legal challenges between owners Chris Murray and Rose Murray, and Meath County Council before the High Court, Supreme Court and Court of Appeal over the last two decades.
An order directing the owners of the house to be brought before the High Court for breaching a previous undertaking to vacate the house also remains in place.
Chris Murray and Rose Murray are due before the court on Monday to respond to contempt of court proceedings.
Earlier this week, the court directed that An Garda Síochána assist the council in taking possession of the property.
On Monday, a security team comprising of 13 vehicles arrived at the house.
Meath County Council said that it engaged with family and community representatives on site, with the assistance of gardaí, to facilitate the removal of personal belongings and household items, in line with the court's direction.
Ms Murray told RTÉ's News at One programme yesterday that she accepted "what we did waws wrong" but said she hoped the house would not be demolished and would instead be given to charity.
She said she had to leave the country and left her family to deal with the situation.
Asked about the demolition of a property during a housing crisis, Tánaiste Simon Harris said today that everybody in the country needs to abide by the laws of the land.
"I don't think this house fits within the definition of a housing crisis," he said, speaking to RTÉ News.
"Obviously, it's a very, very large house, but we have laws in this country, and laws matter, and laws need to be upheld. And these are matters for the courts.
"Everybody in this country needs to abide by the laws of the land, our planning laws, our courts, they matter. They're not just there to pass the time. And we're not a lawless country.
"And there's lots of people around this country who abide by planning, who know the importance of getting planning, who work with their local authority to secure planning and to build a home, to build a family home.
"And I'm sure those people who work through the planning system or through the law would be expecting others to do that too."
Read more: 'I hope it's given to charity', says owner of Meath house set for demolition
