Hogan in 'no doubt' of defective buildings across State

THE MINISTER for the Environment has said he has “no doubt” other defective developments similar to the unsafe apartment complex at Priory Hall have been built around the State.

Phil Hogan called on local authorities to “get on with those inspections” and bring to justice developers, and agents acting on their behalf, who have failed to comply with building regulations.

Speaking at the annual conference of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland yesterday, Mr Hogan said there was an understandably high degree of cynicism and loss of confidence in the construction industry.

Many homeowners had been left to struggle with the consequences of unfinished estates, pyrite and “defective developments such as Priory Hall”.

Asked whether he thought there were more examples of Priory Hall around the State, he said: “I have no doubt there is. I have asked all local authorities to step up their enforcement activity and to see, where the building control Acts are not being enforced, that they get on with those inspections and bring people to justice.”

Statutory powers existed for local authorities to act quickly to have these defective buildings dealt with, Mr Hogan said.

“The fact that Dublin City Council did their job properly and brought this particular individual to court is a clear indication that the building control Act is robust.”

Priory Hall apartment owners said they were increasingly concerned about mortgage payments on their unsafe properties.

Residents’ spokesman Darren Kelly said outside the High Court that there had been very little engagement by banks, and many residents were faced with the prospect of paying rent and mortgages at the same time.

“People are anxious in relation to making monthly repayments on homes they can no longer live in . . . It’s the major worry now.”

Residents whose taxes were used to recapitalise the banks would like to see “some level of empathy” from the lending institutions, Mr Kelly said.

“Nobody in Priory Hall is trying to renege on paying their mortgage, but you can’t keep paying a mortgage for properties you don’t live in, that are unsafe to live in.”

More than 30 residents of the 187-apartment complex, including a nine-week-old baby, were in the High Court when its president Mr Justice Nicholas Kearns lifted his order freezing bank accounts of developer Tom McFeely to allow remedial works to begin next Monday.

Mr Justice Kearns described the residents evacuated from their homes as “courageous”. He said he could not make any orders affecting lending institutions, but he would request the banks to take into account the situation mortgage holders found themselves in.

He noted residents were concerned that Mr McFeely, who had left the complex with structural and fire safety deficiencies, was being engaged to undertake the remediation work, but said it was not within his powers to direct Dublin City Council to commission another party to do the work.

The judge also ordered that the council cover storage costs and accommodation costs of residents.

Outside court, Mr Kelly welcomed the decision on funding of storage costs but said the residents did not have confidence in Mr McFeely’s Coalport Building Company to carry out the remediation work in a competent manner.