Iveagh Market

Iveagh market fallen into disrepair – Photo OldDublinTown.com

The Iveagh Markets is historic landmark in the heart of the Liberties. Developed by the Guinness Family in the early 1900’s the market was gifted to Dublin Corporation by the family who ran it until the mid 1990s.

After becoming run down in 1997 an agreement was reached with developer Martin Keane to transfer the right to upgrade and develop the Iveagh Markets. A 500-year lease was agreed on the basis that the developer would protect and develop the market. 20 years later no progress has been made and the market has been allowed to fall into dereliction.

While undoubtedly at the beginning of the agreement there were unavoidable delays with the transfer of the title, there is no excuse for not having developed the market in 20 years. In 2004 the City Council agreed a revised terms with the developer for the market which gave him 36 months to complete the development work. This was was due to happen by August 2007, before the financial crash, which the Martin Keane blames on his inability to develop the market.

In 2012 a five-year extension of planning permission was granted which expired in August of this year. In 2015 we were told that funding had been secured for the redevelopment, which was to be completed in 2017. Again this deadline passed with no action. Now is the time for Dublin City Council to use it’s powers under the terms of the lease granted to take back the Iveagh Markets into public ownership.

I have submitted the following emergency motion to the September City Council meeting asking that the Chief Executive begin to the process of taking the markets back into the full control of Dublin City Council, which they are allowed to do under the terms of the lease granted to Martin Keane back in 2004.

Emergency Motion Submitted for Dublin City Council September 2017 Meeting 

This City Council asks that the Chief Executive to begin the process of taking the Iveagh Markets back into the full control of Dublin City Council. The terms of the lease granted to Mr Keane, first in 1997 and then again in 2004 under report number 218/2004 have been frustrated by the actions of the developer.

Report number 218/2004 clause 7 states that “Mr Keane or his nominee shall, within 36 months of the execution of the Agreement for Lease, have completed the redevelopment work on the market buildings and the construction of the hotel in the case of delay due to strikes, lockouts or any other circumstances outside the control of Mr Keane or his nominee. Such longer period if required to be agreed with Dublin City Council at the time the delay occurs. Mr Keane or his nominee shall not use the premises for any purpose other than redevelopment as a commercial market and the construction of a hotel”.

Clause 12 “Dublin City Council reserves the right to re-enter on the entire property and resume possession thereof should Mr Keane or his nominee fail to commence and complete the redevelopment and construction works within the specified period or in the event of bankruptcy or insolvency of Mr Keane or his nominee, save in the case of a financial institution which has entered into a mortgage with Mr Keane or his nominee for the purposes of financing the redevelopment and construction works”

The terms of this extension of the lease have not been met and so Dublin City Council should begin the process to transfer the markets back into their full control with a view to developing the Iveagh Market as per Clause 12.