Property firm linked to landlord Marc Godart guilty of breaking fire safety law

Tom Tuite

A Property firm linked to landlord Marc Godart has pleaded guilty to 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 resumed at Dublin District Court on Tuesday.

Judge Anthony Halpin acceded to a request from DCC's barrister Christopher Hughes to change the defendant's name to Green Label Short Lets Ltd, which has the same registered office address.

After the amendments were made, defence counsel Stephen Wilson informed the judge there would be a guilty plea.

Judge Halpin recorded the plea and acceded to Mr Wilson's request to adjourn the case until March 26th for facts and mitigation.

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 29 last year 2023.

The offence is contrary to the Fire Services Act 1981.

Last month, Mr Godart, a Luxembourg businessman with significant property holdings in Ireland, had another prosecution dropped for "egregious" breaches of planning laws with unauthorised Airbnb lettings in Dublin.

However, two firms he directs, including Green Label Short Lets Ltd, accepted responsibility; they were fined €7,500 and agreed to pay "substantial" legal costs.

DCC also brought those proceedings before Dublin District Court.

That case stemmed from complaints about unauthorised short-term lettings, booked through the Airbnb website, 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 detected following inspections between June 4 and 6 last year, revealing some of the bedrooms were windowless and others in former shop fronts.

A council inspector found several tourists from Ireland, mainland Europe, and North America had used them for one to seven days.

By the time of last month's hearing, work had already taken place or was about to start to bring them in line with regulations for short-term lettings.