Hotel accommodation to cost €200k

MORE than 240 people are to be moved into emergency hotel accommodation for five weeks at a cost of about €200,000 after a High Court judge ordered the evacuation of an apartment complex last Thursday due to serious fire safety risks.

Developer Thomas McFeely, a director of Coalport, which developed the Priory Hall complex of 187 apartments at Donaghmede, north Dublin in 2006, publicly apologised to tenants and told the court he would put the resources in place for the repair works.

The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns, said he would “police” the situation on a weekly basis and said it was a “very upsetting experience” for residents.

The court heard a planned programme of works had been agreed to rectify the non-compliance with fire safety certificates between a fire consultant, on behalf of Coalport, and Dublin City Council’s fire safety inspector, Donal Casey.

Mr Casey had told the court a fire could swiftly spread through the entire complex due to defects with the fire safety barriers in the external walls.

Mr Justice Kearns said the “real scandal” was that fire safety breaches had been ongoing since 2009.

Conleth Bradley SC, on behalf of the council’s fire authority, which brought the evacuation application, said emergency accommodation had been organised at the Regency Hotel, on the Swords Road.

The court heard 249 people were to be moved, with the numbers possibly rising further.

A fire appliance will remain at the apartment block until Thursday.

Mr Bradley said the council, as fire safety authority, was not responsible for the works and not in a position to pay the costs of the accommodation.

Tom Brabizon, who was speaking on behalf of around 30 residents, said “certain intimidating remarks” had been made by Mr McFeely to residents outside court.

Mr Justice Kearns said it was an “unprecedented situation” and he could understand how “strong feelings are” but urged the residents to remain calm in the courtroom as gardaí maintained a presence.

“A very serious view would be taken by the court of any threats from one side to another,” he added.

Mr Justice Kearns said if the works were not completed on time a contempt of court and a committal to prison could result.