Developer Criticised Over 'Fire Trap' Flats

A Derry-born developer has come under attack after sub-standard work led to the eviction of 180 residents from his Priory Hall housing complex in Dublin.

Even Taoiseach Enda Kenny has criticised the developer, Thomas McFeely, who was behind the ill-fated complex saying that if he had done his job properly this would not have happened.

Mr Kenny said 180 residents of the Donaghmede development have been evacuated to a hotel because of fire safety concerns.

It was revealed that there were no firewalls between the apartments which people purchased in good faith as their homes.


Mr Kenny said he has great sympathy for those involved: "This wouldn't have arisen in the first place if Mr McFeely had done his job properly," he said, also referring to what he called the Londonderry-born man's "chequered history".

Mr McFeely - a former IRA hunger striker whose construction company Coalport built the 187-apartment Priory Hall complex - and fellow developer Larry O'Mahony were yesterday ordered by the High Court to surrender their passports. Mr McFeely's assets have been frozen, according to the Irish Examiner.

Meanwhile, the National Assets Management Agency (NAMA) has submitted a list of 332 apartments to Dublin City Council for consideration in re-housing residents of the Priory Hall apartments.

A Nama spokesman said the agency had supplied a list of potential properties in Dublin 13, Dublin 17 and Dublin 11. Nama has been examining housing units linked to loans on its books that might be used to accommodate residents.

(LB/BMcC)