THE SON OF solicitor Brian O’Donnell has accused Bank of Ireland of going on a “crusade” against his father over the family’s mansion in south Dublin.
Blake O’Donnell, the oldest son of Brian and Mary-Patricia, said massive amounts of money had been “flushed down the toilet” by the bank, in pursuing a reported €70 million in debts.
Banks are there to make money, they’re not there to go off on vendettas against individuals. I can go off on a vendetta against an individual because I’m a person. A company is not meant to go out on crusades. I’d love to see the bill for the legal fees. I’m sure it’s scandalous.
Speaking as part of TV3′s “The Battle for Gorse Hill,” O’Donnell added:
There’s actually no financial benefit to Bank of Ireland having my parents bankrupted here or in England.
Since 2010, the bank has been locked in a battle with the O’Donnells to repossess the luxury house on Vico Road in Killiney, which was at one time worth €30 million, but is now valued at €7 million.
‘Schindler’s List’
Brian O’Donnell has lost more than 80 legal cases surrounding his dispute with Bank of Ireland, including an appeal brought before the Supreme Court last month.
The family has had significant public support from the “New Land League,” and its spokesman Jerry Beades.
He explains the group’s rallying behind the O’Donnells, despite their uncommon wealth, quoting another activist as saying:
Are we going to be Schindler’s List, deciding who lives and who dies?
The family’s long, storied, legal struggles have had an impact on them, Blake O’Donnell explains:
It’s taken a lot of mental toll on the family. There’s been a lot of stress. But at the end of the day, no one has died.
“The Battle for Gorse Hill” airs on TV3 tonight at 9pm.
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