Priory Hall developer given week to pay creditor of face jail

Bankrupt developer Tom McFeely has been given a week to pay more than €24,000 to a creditor or he could face up to three months in prison.

The builder is appealing a High Court order to jail him for failing to remedy fire safety defects at the Priory Hall apartment complex in Donaghmede in Dublin. Last week, he was also declared bankrupt by a court in London.

In separate proceedings, he had been summonsed to appear at Dublin District Court for failing to pay €24,288 for services obtained from MCR Personnel Ltd, a company which specialises in recruiting for construction firms.

However, the builder did not turn up for the case today, which was then dealt with in his absence.

In July last year, Circuit Court judgements had been made against McFeely, resulting in him being ordered to pay about €34,000 for services he had obtained from MCR Personnel Ltd, trading as MCR Group, which is based at Capel Building, in Dublin city centre.

McFeely paid €10,000 to the recruitment company. However, two subsequent cheque payments bounced and in November the creditor applied to Dublin District Court to summons McFeely and to make an instalment order against him to compel him to clear the remaining balance which amounted to €24,288.

At the outset of the case at Dublin District Court today, solicitor John O'Connor, told Judge John Lindsay that now he did not have authority to act for Mr McFeely.

“He was judged bankrupt last Friday in London, my understanding is that I no longer have authority under those circumstances, I am simply here to advise of the situation,” he said. Judge Lindsay then excused Mr O'Connor from the proceedings.

Benedict O Floinn, counsel for MCR Personnel Ltd, asked Judge Lindsay to make an instalment order against the developer, who has filed for bankruptcy in the UK.

He told the court: “This individual, Mr McFeely, has come to prominence in recent weeks because of the now notorious activities at Priory Hall.

“Somewhat surprisingly, for someone with a republican background, he is sheltering behind the skirt of the Queen of England,” Mr O Floinn added.

Mr O Floinn applied to the court to make the instalment order to compel McFeely to pay €24,288 within seven days.

Judge Lindsay agreed to make the order and held that notice was to be served on McFeely, at his home on Ailesbury Road, Dublin 4.

Under section 6.7 of the Enforcement of Court Orders (Amendment) Act 2009, failure to comply with the instalment order within seven says of receiving notice, could result in McFeely being arrested and jailed for up to three months.