{
  "id": 464223,
  "title": "Carlow council loses two houses in 'squatter's rights' case",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/10/carlow-council-loses-two-houses-in-squatters-rights-case",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-10T11:32:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "RTE News",
    "slug": "rte-news",
    "url": "https://www.rte.ie/news/investigations-unit/2026/0810/1587261-carlow-council-loses-two-houses-in-squatters-rights-case/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Carlow County Council recently lost ownership of two council houses to a local resident in a dispute over adverse possession, or squatter's rights, according to a council document. The resident claimed rights over three derelict council houses in Carlow Town, near the one the resident lived in. A briefing note for Carlow councillors indicated these neighboring properties were in poor condition. In an out-of-court settlement last year, the council agreed to transfer ownership of the resident's home and one of the neighboring houses, with the resident abandoning claims for the other two. Each side was responsible for their own legal expenses. The settlement followed an RTÉ Investigates report in June, raising concerns about State bodies contributing to Ireland's dereliction problem. Legal expert Mary Frances Fahy explained that continuous, unauthorized occupation for a set period can lead to adverse possession claims. In the Carlow case, the resident stated they took possession of the three houses in 2003, but the council believed they had been unoccupied since 2005. In 2019, the resident attempted to register ownership based on adverse possession, leading to a court challenge by the council. The council, seeking the best legal outcome, approved the transfer of two houses in April. The council also declined to comment on why the properties were not listed as derelict on their register or the cost of legal fees.",
  "summary": "Earlier this year, Carlow councillors voted in favour of approving the transfer, giving effect to the legal settlement",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}