IBRC officials launch challenge to halt private prosecution by hotelier

A Supreme Court challenge has been launched aimed at blocking a Dublin hotelier’s attempt to privately prosecute officials at IBRC for alleged deception.

Mary Kelly, a case manager with the bank’s Recovery Management Division, and Declan Buckley, a former employee of IBRC, where he had held a position of director of banking face a possible prosecution at Dublin District Court which has been brought privately by businessman Patrick Halpin.

Mr Halpin is a director of Crossplan Investments Ltd and Elektron Holdings Ltd, of Aberdeen Lodge, Park Avenue, Sandymount, Dublin 4. IBRC (now in special liquidation) appointed a receiver to both his companies, which are involved in the hotel business, as a result of alleged default of loans of €23m.

However, Mr Halpin has had summonses issued against both Ms Kelly and Mr Buckley.

He is alleging that they by deception falsely represented to him that IBRC was prepared to continue in a process that would allow Elektron Holdings to stay trading, on Feb 17 last year.

Yesterday a lawyer for Ms Kelly and Mr Buckley told Judge John O’Neill that a book of appeal in relation to the High Court ruling has already been lodged with the Supreme Court.

The district court case was put back until a date early in the New Year.