Irish Daily Mail

Top barrister to mediate in Regency row with insurer

- By Paul Caffrey

THE Regency Hotel in Dublin, where a gangster was shot dead in February, is still at loggerhead­s with its insurers – and now a high-profile senior barrister has been called in to mediate, the Irish Daily Mail has learned.

The dispute between the Regency and Aviva Insurance went to the High Court and has already resulted in a payout of at least €100,000. However, the threestar hotel is claiming for further losses for ‘business interrupti­on’ caused by the February 5 shooting.

The initial ‘interim payment’ covers only the first 10 days of losses between February 5 and 15. The exact amount paid by the insurer is confidenti­al, but the Mail has learned a six-figure sum was paid over by Aviva late last week.

Now, a well-known Law Library heavyweigh­t – who cannot be named yet to protect the integrity of the process – has been appointed to solve the rest of the insurance dispute. This involves a claim by the Regency for further busi-

Hotel claiming for further losses

ness losses suffered since February 15.

When the case was called in the High Court yesterday, Richard Kean SC, for the Regency, asked Judge Gilligan to adjourn the matter for two weeks to allow an arbitratio­n process to begin.

Judge Gilligan placed a stay on the action brought by Regan Developmen­t Ltd, which runs the Regency, pending the outcome of that arbitratio­n.

On February 5, at least four armed men entered the hotel in Drumcondra and opened fire at a boxing weigh-in. Gangster David Byrne, 34, was killed in the attack.

The shooting was believed to be part of the ongoing war between the Kinahan gang and the rival Hutch mob. Those responsibl­e for the crime have still not been identified.

The Regency first took Aviva to court last month for making no payout following the shooting – even though its insurance package with Aviva covered ‘the occurrence of murders’.

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