Longboat Quay developer offers to do fire safety work at cost

Property developer Bernard McNamara has offered to undertake the fire safety work needed at the Longboat Quay apartment complex he built in Dublin's Docklands in 2006.

It is understood that Mr McNamara is not offering to fund the work ordered by Dublin Fire Brigade, including the installation of a smoke ventilation system and fire-stopping materials, but would be willing to do it "at cost".

It is not clear by how much this offer would reduce the bill, estimated at €3.88 million, for fixing the fire safety defects at the complex of 299 apartments.

Part-funding offer

The

Dublin Docklands Development Authority

(DDDA) and the receiver to Mr McNamara’s Gendsong company earlier this week made an offer to the Longboat Quay residents to part-fund the work.

However, Longboat Quay management company said the offer and its terms were not acceptable.

The authority owns the common areas in Longboat Quay and also has an interest in 37 apartments bought under the affordable housing scheme.

The receiver has control of 18 apartments in the complex.

Dublin City Council chief executive Owen Keegan, who is also the chairman of the board of the authority, had said it was the "final offer that will be made by the DDDA and the receiver . . . If it is not approved, that is it".

The offer would have covered all the costs of the affordable-housing owners and a portion of other owners’ costs.

Longboat Quay management company last month initiated legal proceedings against the authority over liability for funding fire safety works.

The proceedings in the Commercial Court were adjourned two weeks ago with the agreement of both parties to facilitate efforts to resolve matters.

However, following the failure to reach agreement this week, the management company will return to the court on Monday to ask it to accept the case in the commercial list.

Appeal

The management company is also appealing the fire safety notice, which had required work to begin at the complex by November 1st.

This appeal will be heard in Dublin District Court later this month. These proceedings have put a stay on a potential evacuation of the apartment complex.

It is understood that representatives of Mr McNamara wrote to the DDDA twice last month signalling a willingness on behalf of the developer to be involved in resolving fire safety problems.

The authority declined to comment yesterday.

A spokesman for the management company said that no formal offer had been received from Mr McNamara or from anyone acting on his behalf.

Mr McNamara could not be reached yesterday night.