Freezing orders against niece and nephew lifted

Freezing orders against niece and nephew lifted


The High Court has lifted account freezing orders against the niece and nephew of Mary McLoughlin, the Westport woman who stands accused of taking €130,000 from a retired parish priest.
Ann Geary, Pontoon, Foxford, sister of Fr Vincent Kelly (86), is claiming that Ms McLoughlin, Corragaun, Kilmeena, Westport, befriended the priest and then misappropriated over €130,000 of his money.
Earlier this month, Mr Justice Roderick Murphy made several orders on an ex parte (one side only represented) basis, including an order restraining Ms McLoughlin from reducing her assets below €51,713.06.
Freezing orders were also obtained ex parte against Ms McLoughlin’s nephew, Thomas McLoughlin, and against her niece, Tara McLoughlin.

Progress
Last Thursday, Peadar Ó Maolain, BL for Ms Geary, told Mr Justice Murphy that ‘significant progress’ had been made and that the freezing orders against Thomas McLoughlin and Tara McLoughlin could be struck out on consent.
The freezing order against Mary McLoughlin, who works as a senior social welfare officer in Westport, remains in place, however.
No further details concerning the action were disclosed, and the matter is expected to return before the High Court later this month.