Priory Hall residents criticise banks' decision not to join in talks

The evacuated residents of the Priory Hall apartment complex in Dublin have described as “a devastating blow” an apparent refusal by banks to engage with conciliation proposed at the Supreme Court.

Dublin City Council on April 20th last suspended its Supreme Court appeal against having to pay accommodation costs for Priory Hall residents, to allow mediation talks to take place.

The council proposed the talks under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Joseph Finnegan.

However, an article in yesterday’s Sunday Business Post said the main banks that provided mortgages to residents of the complex, and the Irish Banking Federation, were refusing to engage with the process.

Residents’ spokesman Graham Usher said it was “incredible” that the banks, the party with the largest financial interest in Priory Hall, were acting as an obstacle to a solution.

The main mortgage providers to Priory Hall residents were AIB and Bank of Ireland, Mr Usher said.

A spokesman for AIB said the bank was continuing to engage with customers on a one-to-one basis, but she was not in a position to comment on the process in question. Bank of Ireland did not respond to a request for a comment yesterday. A spokesman for the Irish Banking Federation said it had no involvement in the process.