NAMA lists 300 units for possible use by residents

NAMA has issued a list of more than 300 properties to Dublin City Council which could be used to accommodate Priory Hall residents.

A spokesman for NAMA confirmed that the agency submitted a list of 332 apartments to Dublin City Council for consideration by the authority.

NAMA has advised the council that if it wishes to explore the potential of any of these units, it should contact the owners directly to agree terms.

The spokesperson said that some of the units may require the completion of some works before occupation but this should take no more than two or three weeks from agreement with the council. NAMA has undertaken to fund the costs of such work.

“We are endeavouring to bring Dublin City Council together with the owners of suitable properties identified and it will be up to both parties to come to an arrangement,” said a spokesperson.

The apartments identified on the list are in Dublin 13, Dublin 17 and Dublin 11.

A spokesperson from Dublin City Council said the authority was “delighted” to have received such assistance from NAMA and would analyse the list over the weekend to ensure people could be suitably matched to their housing needs.

“There is still a huge amount of work to be done in analysing it to make sure we can accommodate people according to their individual housing needs,” he said.

The Education Department also confirmed it will cover the cost of school transport required for the Priory Hall residents.

Around 180 residents from Priory Hall have spent a third night at the Regency Hotel in Dublin after they were ordered by the High Court, earlier this week, to vacate the apartment complex due to fire safety concerns.

The developers behind the complex, Thomas McFeely and Larry O’Mahony, have been ordered to surrender their passports. Mr McFeely has said he would commit resources to carrying out necessary repair work at the complex.

He is due back before the High Court tomorrow to submit a statement of means in advance of a programme of remedial works at the apartment complex.

Fears have already been raised that building flaws such as those in Priory Hall could be replicated in homes and apartments across the country.

Currently, developments are signed off on using a largely self-regulating system, whereby architects and engineers certify the works have been completed in line with building regulations based on plans supplied by developers.