Luxembourg landlord Marc Godart has been granted a hearing date for a "contentious" prosecution after a judge heard over unauthorised short-term lettings in Dublin.
The case brought by Dublin City Council (DCC), listed before Judge Anthony Halpin at Dublin District Court, features charges for failing to comply with an enforcement notice to cease using Reuben House, Reuben Street, Dublin 8, for short-term letting purposes.
According to court documents, the notice was supposed to be obeyed by April 28th last year.
The council is prosecuting Mr Godart and two firms, Reuben Hot Desks Ltd and Green Label Property Investments Ltd.
Just over a month ago, Judge Halpin noted from prosecuting solicitor Michael Quinlan that evidence needed to be furnished to the defendants.
He then adjourned it until Tuesday for a plea to be entered.
Mr Quinlan said that previously, the defence wanted the case to be listed for mention only, "hoping it might be resolved, but he had not heard anything".
Counsel for the defence asked the court to set a hearing date, indicating the case would be contested.
Mr Quinlan said it would be a "relatively contentious" case.
Judge Halpin set it down for hearing on October 22nd.
The council has also initiated a separate fire safety prosecution against Green Label Property Investments Ltd concerning another building: Unit 1A, The Forge, Railway Street, Dublin 1, a "potentially dangerous building".
The charge alleges that on May 8th last, the firm had yet to comply with a fire safety notice dated June 29th 2023. That case will be back before the same court on October 15th.
Earlier, in a council prosecution before the non-jury Dublin District Court, Green Label Short Lets, another firm linked to Mr Godart, avoided a criminal conviction over a former commercial building in Dublin that broke fire safety laws after being repurposed for residential lettings.
The court heard that the Beaver Street property was converted but lacked a range of vital fire safety measures, including an alarm system and viable escape routes. The company pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to the Fire Services Act.
The case was struck out after it donated €500 to charity and paid €3,884 toward the council's legal costs.
In February, Mr Godart had another prosecution dropped for "egregious" breaches of planning laws with unauthorised Airbnb lettings in Dublin.
However, two other firms he directs, Green Label Short Lets Ltd and Capel Grand Inn 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.
A council inspector surveyed the building between June 4th and June 6th last year. His work revealed that some bedrooms were windowless and others were in former shopfronts.
Several tourists from Ireland, mainland Europe, and North America had used them for one to seven days. By the time that hearing concluded, work had already taken place or was about to start to bring the short-term lettings in line with regulations.
