THE EVACUATED residents of the Priory Hall apartment complex in Dublin have agreed to consider a proposal by Dublin City Council to enter a process aimed at resolving outstanding issues between them and others, including banks, the Supreme Court heard yesterday.
The news was welcomed by Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government Phil Hogan, who noted reports that Supreme Court proceedings in relation to Priory Hall had been postponed for three months to allow for a conciliation process between the parties, chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan.
Mr Hogan said: “The proposed conciliation process . . . provides an appropriate context for the parties concerned to work together towards identifying a way forward in relation to this complex problem. I would encourage the financial institutions, the residents of Priory Hall and Dublin City Council to have an open mind and to engage fully with this new process to give it every chance to succeed.”
The Supreme Court was due to hear an appeal by the council next Tuesday against orders made by High Court president Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns requiring the council to pay alternative accommodation and storage costs of the 240 residents after their evacuation last October. The High Court had ordered the evacuation on the application of the council arising from fire safety concerns.
Thomas McFeely, whose Coalport Building Company developed the complex, was not involved in the council’s appeal against the payment orders. His separate appeal against orders fining him €1 million and jailing him for three months has yet to be heard.
The Supreme Court, with Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman presiding and sitting with Mr Justice Donal O’Donnell and Mr Justice Frank Clarke, agreed to a request by lawyers for both Dublin City Council and the residents to vacate next week’s date for the hearing of the council’s appeal.
The residents are due to meet over the weekend to decide whether to enter the process.
Hugh Mohan SC, for some of the residents, said he was recommending they enter the process. John O’Donnell SC, for other residents, said they were due to meet today to decide whether they wished to enter it. Should they do so, the process would take about three months and the matter could return to the courts in July.
If the process did not happen, the council’s appeal might proceed later. In the interim, previous orders would stay in place and the council would continue to cover residents’ accommodation costs.