Search
05 Dec 2025
Search
05 Dec 2025
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Sean Meehan giving his reaction to the media outside Cashel District Court on March 6
A Tipperary man is facing a court prosecution after he constructed a “nice timber house” around a mobile home, the Dáil has heard.
Sean Meehan (68) of Woodinstown, Cahir, is currently before the courts for failing to remove his log cabin home, which was built without planning permission.
Mr Meehan’s situation was raised by Independent Tipperary South TD Mattie McGrath during a debate on the Government’s new housing plan.
Deputy McGrath said: “Is the Minister [for Housing] going to extend the situation whereby commercial properties can be used for housing without planning permission? That is so important.
“Is he going to do something about backyard developments behind houses, which are not mentioned in this plan at all?
READ NEXT: Mattie McGrath says support for Kyiv ignores pressures on low and middle income families
“What about a case in which a man houses himself in a mobile home? Seán Meehan from outside Clonmel in County Tipperary is being brought to the courts for putting up a nice timber house around a mobile home.
“He needs to be looked after, as do other people like him. There are thousands of Seán Meehans. We need to deal with that issue.”
In response, Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell said: “If people wish to adapt their homes to suit their needs within the home, perhaps with a smaller or separate unit, we will support that.
“We are looking at planning exemptions. Modular homes came up. A body of work is under way at the moment to look at planning.
“Members say they want to see the barriers removed. The plan that was published today is aimed at removing barriers and dealing with judicial reviews.”
The Minister provided no direct response to the case of Mr Meehan, who is appealing the four-month prison term imposed on him.
He received the sentence for failing to comply with a planning enforcement notice served on him by Tipperary County Council on June 3, 2022. The notice directed that he remove his log cabin home at Woodinstown, Cahir.
The prison sentence has been on hold pending the outcome of the appeal case, which has been adjourned until January.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
