Council to assess Nama list

The National Assets Management Agency (Nama) has submitted a list of 332 apartments to Dublin City Council for consideration in rehousing residents of the Priory Hall apartments.

Nama has been examining housing units linked to loans on its books which might be used to accommodate residents from the 187-apartment complex in Donaghmede who have been evacuated from their homes.

Last week, the council secured a court order to evacuate the apartments after it was found the buildings contained serious structural deficiencies and posed a fire safety risk.

A spokesman for Nama today said the agency had supplied the council with a list of potential properties in Dublin 13, Dublin 17 and Dublin 11.

He said it was now up to the council to review the list and make conduct with the relevant owners or agents to see if it can reach agreeable terms.

Although some of the units may require the completion of some works before occupation it is understood this should take no more than two to three weeks.

The agency’s spokesman said that, contrary to recent media reports, Nama was not in position to “simply hand over” properties to the council at it did not directly own them.

The council said that, as of tonight, 131 adults and 49 children under the age of 12 from the apartments had been provided with emergency accommodation in the nearby Regency Hotel in Whitehall.

Approximately 40-50 people still remained in the apartment complex ahead of tomorrow’s evacuation deadline.

The developers of the complex, Thomas McFreely and Larry O’Mahony, were ordered to surrunder their passports yesterday after they said they could not pay the hotel bills.

The council said it had so far secured 22 housing units which would be allocated on a “prioritised basis” based on individual family need.

“Given the different needs of the various households affected we will be matching these units with the requirements of the individuals concerned. Allocations will be made as quickly as possible,” it said.

The council said it would continue to endeavour to seek potential properties from other sources.

Minister for Housing Willie Penrose today described the situation for residents of Priory Hall as “absolutely dreadful”. Mr Penrose said he had been in contact with Nama officials yesterday to see if the agency could assist the council in rehousing the residents.

However, the Minister cautioned that while a significant of amount of empty housing stock was linked to Nama loans, many of the units may not be suitable in terms of location and size.

Speaking at the launch in Dublin of a five-year plan by the homeless charity, the Peter McVerry Trust, Mr Penrose said the Government was keen to secure a “social dividend” from Nama.