Hotel owners win access to managing company’s books

THE owners of Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel are entitled to books and records held by a company that is managing the five-star venue, a High Court judge ruled yesterday.

Torriam Hotel Operating Co Ltd, part of the Marriott international group, must make available to the owners, Shelbourne Hotel Holding Company Ltd (SHHL), material which includes minutes of management meetings, its internal control system manual and details of internal audits and reports, Mr Justice Peter Kelly ruled.

The Stephen’s Green hotel is owned by a consortium of high-profile property developers: Bernard Doyle, Bernard McNamara, Jerry O’Reilly and David Courtney, as well as oil tycoon John Sweeney.

The judge also directed that Torriam provide details of actions it took as a result of any risk identified during an internal audit, along with the scope of a task force sent in by the Marriott Group to review the hotel operation. He directed that SHHL be furnished with details of access rights to each computer system, customer names and details of employees including their salaries, bonuses, benefits, disciplinary action and tax data.

Mr Justice Kelly made the directions arising out of an application by SHHL for injunctive relief to obtain books and records.