Property firm linked to controversial landlord Marc Godart faces trial over fire safety

Tom Tuite

A property firm faces trial for failing to comply with a fire safety notice issued over a "potentially dangerous building" in Dublin.

Green Label Property Investments Limited of Reuben House, Reuben Street, Dublin 8, was summonsed to face prosecution by Dublin City Council.

The case was listed before Judge Michael Ramsey at Dublin District Court on Tuesday.

The firm faces a charge that as the owner of the building, comprising Unit 1, Block G, The Foundry, Beaver Street, Dublin 1, which comprises a potentially dangerous building, it failed to comply with a fire safety notice dated June 29th, 2023.

The offence is contrary to the Fire Services Act 1981.

The council's solicitor told the court that it was day one of the proceedings, and the defence obtained an adjournment to receive disclosure of the prosecution evidence.

The company, yet to enter a plea, was represented by counsel, who was told the case would resume on March 5th.

Meanwhile, the firm and its director, landlord Marc Godart, is being prosecuted in separate proceedings brought by the council for alleged breaches of planning laws through unauthorised short-term lettings in the capital.

That case is also before Dublin District Court. Mr Godart, a Luxembourg businessman with significant property holdings in Ireland, faces six charges, and Green Label Property Investments Ltd has five.

That set of charges are contrary to section 151 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 – 2003 for unauthorised short-term lettings at three properties in Dublin 1: 11 Capel Street, Block G, The Foundry, Beaver St, and Unit 2A, The Forge, Railway Street.

The offences were allegedly committed between June 4 and 6 last year.

Mr Godart has the same Reuben House, Dublin 8 address as Green Label Property Investments Ltd.

Earlier this month, the council applied "to have the most urgent hearing date as possible in relation to these matters". Asked by a judge about the nature of the allegations, prosecuting solicitor Michael Quinlan had said: "It relates to unauthorised short-term letting in relation to three properties by Mr Godart."

"There is the unauthorised short-term letting at 11 Capel Street, the unauthorised short-term letting of Block G, the Foundry and 2A Railway Street," he had said.

The lawyer also said the council contended that "this is not being let as holiday lets; there is quite a capacity issue in relation to these properties as well".

The court had heard that the council would call two prosecution witnesses if the defendants fully contested the charges.

That case will be listed for mention in February and was assigned an April 8th hearing date if the defendants plead not guilty. Conviction, in that matter, can result in fines of €5,000 per charge, and a person convicted under the same section of the Act can face a sentence of up to six months.