Priory Hall developer demands City Council pay legal costs after court victory

Tom McFeely is looking for Dublin City Council to pay his High Court legal costs after he won an appeal against an order jailing him over Priory Hall.

The Supreme Court overturned a finding that he was in contempt of court for failing to remedy fire safety hazards at the evacuated North Dublin complex.

His three-month jail sentence and €1m fine were struck down.

The High Court ordered McFeely off the Priory Hall site on November 4, 2011 after he breached an order to carry out fire safety works.

He was subsequently found to be in contempt of that court order but the finding was overturned by the Supreme Court who concluded he was unable to fix the buildings because he had been told to leave the complex.

The developer now wants to be awarded the costs of his High Court case but this is being strongly opposed by Dublin City Council.

It says Mr McFeely had failed to meet building targets before he was ordered off site and that this was a point that had seemingly been "lost completely" on appeal.

President Nicholas Kearns will make a decision on a later date.