Priory Hall could be levelled and rebuilt, says Hogan

The troubled Priory Hall development could be levelled and rebuilt, Environment Minister Phil Hogan has signalled.

The future of the evacuated site has been thrown into tragic focus after a father of two took his own life due to what his family say was the pressure of the Priory Hall situation. Mr Hogan expressed sympathy for the family of Fiachra Daly, who died in July, as he said he had an “open mind” on what to do next, estimating a solution could cost between €10m and €12m.

The minister said ongoing court action needed to be completed first. Legal issues prevented him from meeting residents. He refused too to set a deadline for action.

Families forced to leave Priory Hall in October 2011 when it was evacuated due to fears over fire safety insisted the minister should meet with them as soon as possible to thrash out a solution.

Mr Daly’s partner of 17 years, Stephanie Meehan, wrote an open letter to the Taoiseach expressing concern that the situation at Priory Hall was a factor in his death.

Mr Hogan suggested demolition may be the best way to deal with the complex. “I’m not going to create any false hope for people in Priory Hall by giving a deadline,” he told RTÉ.

Dublin City Council, which is paying for the accommodation costs of a number of families evacuated from the development, is due to go to the Supreme Court in October to appeal a decision ordering it to pay for the residents’ temporary rents, though a mediation process chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Joseph Finnegan is continuing.

Meanwhile, AIB chief executive David Duffy told the Oireachtas Finance Committee the bank could offer debt write-downs to Priory Hall residents.

“We will negotiate an individual solution with them, up to and including debt write- down if the circumstance warrants it.

“We are very sympathetic because this isn’t an issue that is typical of the circumstances that we’re dealing with,” he said.