James Reilly reaches High Court deal on €115,000 debt

JAMES Reilly has settled a High Court action against him over a €115,000 debt to an architects’ firm.

The Health Minister was taken to court by the architects who designed a medical centre that was never built.

Initially, Dr Reilly flatly denied claims he owed any money but yesterday he and his fellow defendants struck a conf i dential deal with PM Group architects.

If Dr Reilly and his fellow defendants do not comply with the terms of the deal – which they are required to do by October 5 – they will face a court judgment against them for the full amount.

The Irish Daily Mail revealed yesterday how Dr Reilly was set to be the second minister brought to the High Court this week. Junior minister John Perry was ordered to pay almost €2.5million to Danske Bank on Monday.

Dr Reilly had been expected to fully contest the case against him. After the case was lodged last September, a spokesman for the minister reportedly said Dr Reilly and his business partners ‘utterly reject’ any claims they owed PM Group any money.

Barrister David Dodd, for PM Group, yesterday told the court: ‘The matter has settled.’ He said the final payment under the settlement deal must be paid

Must honour the deal by October 5

by October 5. He warned if any of the defendants failed to honour the terms of the agreement by the deadline then the architects will ask the High Court to grant ‘judgment in the full amount’.

The Irish Daily Mail has confirmed the full amount involved is €115,000.

Judge Paul Gilligan adjourned the case until October 9 to see if the confidential terms of settlement have been honoured by Dr Reilly and two other doctors who were his business partners in the project.

Dr Reilly was taken to court by PM Group, a firm of architects which drew up the designs for the proposed Airside Clinic in Swords, north Co. Dublin. The elaborate complex was dreamt up in the boom but was never built.

Planning permission was granted in 2010. The site was put on the market last year with a €750,000 guide price and is still advertised as being for sale.

The court claims by PM Group were understood to relate to professional fees which the firm were expected to claim had not been paid by Dr Reilly and his partners in the project, doctors David Reilly and Stan Natin.

The proposed centre was to have included a GP practice, diagnostic facilities, physiotherapy, dental facilities, and a coffee shop.