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The hotel rooms can be controlled using a tablet or smartphone Bebeto Matthews AP/Press Association Images

High-tech hotel backed by Denis O'Brien to open in Dublin next July

The eight-storey hotel is due to open in July 2018.

THE FIRST HIGH-TECH Aloft hotel to be opened in Dublin, backed by billionaire media tycoon Denis O’Brien, will help tackle a hotel bedrooms deficiency in the city, the Circuit Licensing Court has been told.

Barrister Kerry-Jane Morgan said Blackpitts Hospitality Limited, which trades as Aloft Dublin City, planned to open the new 202-bedroom hotel in the Blackpitts area of Dublin’s Liberties, near St Patrick’s Cathedral.

Ms Morgan said the Aloft brand was very well established in the United States and the eight-storey high tech hotel would be ready to open in July 2018.

Counsel told Judge Karen Fergus that Blackpitts Hospitality Ltd was applying for a Declaratory Order, ensuring the hotel would obtain a full license if planning permission terms as lodged with the court were adhered to.

Mark Lynch, a director of the company, said Aloft was recognised internationally as “a fun and vibrant brand with hotels that have attractive and colourful spaces”.

Lynch today told Judge Fergus that the “loft-like” rooms will feature a system allowing guests to use their mobile phones to access their rooms.

Ms Morgan said the hotel, located at Mill Street, Blackpitts, will employ 50 people when it opens.

Judge Fergus said she was satisfied to grant Blackpitts Hospitality Limited the declaratory order.

Hotel giant Marriott International had announced last month that it was behind the new hotel, which will be opened through a franchise agreement with Blackpitts Hospitality Limited and will be operated by Pembroke Hospitality.

Pembroke Hospitality, a hotel management company, was co-founded by former chief executive of Jurys Doyle, Niall Geoghegan.

It was also reported two years ago that Denis O’Brien has committed “several million” to the €40 million planned enterprise.

Read: A new Dublin hotel backed by Denis O’Brien will be aimed at tech-savvy travellers

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    Mute Imnotrodten
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:05 PM

    Do you know you can live in ireland for 182 days a year and not pay a penny in income tax.

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    Mute cryptoskitzo
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:14 PM

    @Imnotrodten: and be able to open your hotel bedroom door with your mobile while you’re here. Disgrace.

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    Mute Alanine Pipeline
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:19 PM

    Same in the UK, Imnot – and several other EU countries. It’s why places like Monaco are even more popular – no tax at all!

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    Mute Roy Dowling
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:21 PM

    You known you can not pay tax in America and become president??.

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:41 PM

    @Imnotrodten:

    well there has to be some sort of cut of date otherwise tourists would have a tax liability. what about people that come over to work meeting or workshops in Ireland, should they have a tax liability?

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    Mute Ben McArthur
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:48 PM

    @Imnotrodten: And if you had a private jet, you wouldn’t need to show that you were using commercial airlines to get to your home country where you live which is not Ireland at all. Have your kitchen taken out, Bob’s your uncle, no tax in Ireland.

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    Mute Imnotrodten
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:49 PM

    Massive difference between somebody installing a machine or attending meetings and somebody who takes his jet to Malta when his six months is up.

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    Mute Alanine Pipeline
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:52 PM

    Yes, the non-taxable period is 6 months. Like elsewhere. Philip Green (ex-owner of BHS etc.) lives in Monaco, paying no tax; then goes to the UK where his businesses are – and pays no tax. Here, similar legislation has attracted Google, Intel, Amazon etc.

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    Mute Drew TheChinaman :)
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:01 PM

    That is not true… Ireland is 183 days, but you can only be in the U.K. 90 and of that you can only work 30 days and that constitutes any form of work. It can be very easy to send an few emails after midnight on a Friday and land yourself with a 6 figure tax bill….

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:02 PM

    @Alanine Pipeline:

    The corporation tax rates in Ireland are tactical to get companies like Google etc to come to Ireland with a view to employing people and having these employees paying income tax and not being statistics on the dole queue.

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    Mute Alanine Pipeline
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:03 PM

    And these chaps and companies cannot be blamed for taking advantage of a country’s tax laws/loopholes – after all, ours was a major factor in starting the Celtic Tiger…

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    Mute Alanine Pipeline
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:34 PM

    Drew – both countries (UK and here) allow eligible individuals to live there, without paying tax, for c6 months.

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    Mute Paul
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    Feb 16th 2017, 6:34 PM

    Its the 30 day rule that applies to DOB and not 183 day rule and very few people who work wait until the rule is up, they voluntary register with revenue to avail of tax credits/refunds etc

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    Mute Paul
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    Feb 16th 2017, 6:40 PM

    Also because he is domiciled here any income generated here is taxed irrespective of the rule and and income from abroad remitted to Ireland is taxed.

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    Mute Brinster
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    Feb 16th 2017, 6:56 PM

    @Imnotrodten No you couldn’t. You’d fall foul of the 2 year 280 day rule. There are 2 tests for residency. The 183 in a year and then also the 280 over 2 years.

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    Mute ciaran
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    Feb 16th 2017, 7:00 PM

    @Paul: to avail of this rule all non resident tax exiles should be mandatorily made fly into Dublin or Shannon and have to produce their stamped passport annually in person to a garda station for inspection, therefore eliminating private jets and private airports

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    Mute Nick Allen
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    Feb 16th 2017, 7:46 PM

    @Ben McArthur:

    If you have a private jet you do have to show your landing times when claiming none residence, further each day has to be a full 24 hours from midnight to midnight.

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    Mute Brinster
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    Feb 16th 2017, 8:39 PM

    @Nick Allen:

    Not any more, Nick. Switched in 2009 from “midnight” rule to “day or part of day”.

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    Mute LITTLEONE
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:11 PM

    I am to going to book the Moriarty suite

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    Mute Phil O' Meara
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:08 PM

    Golly, sounds great. I’d love to stay in the Lowry suite while listening to sue-thing music.

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    Mute Angry Gaming
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:12 PM

    @Phil O’ Meara: The Esat dodgey phone suite is suppose to be full of surprises .

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    Mute Dara Smith
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    Feb 18th 2017, 3:36 PM

    Lol

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    Mute Joey
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:04 PM

    Irish water will be free

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    Mute ray.farrelly
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:05 PM

    Is there no end to that man’s greed.

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    Mute Mark Gearey
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:32 PM

    If he has trouble getting the license he can always bribe a politician to sort it for him.

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    Mute John Smith
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:15 PM

    Oh goody more rooms for his buddies in FG to stuff young Irish families into.

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    Mute Jason Maguire
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:07 PM

    So it’s not next July – it’s July 2018.

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    Mute Trisha Tully
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:37 PM

    I would consider July 2017 to be this July & July 2018 to be next July. Anyone care to clarify which is correct?

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    Mute Rochelle
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:38 PM

    But that’s this July

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    Mute Jason Maguire
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:39 PM

    @Trisha Tully: July 2017 is both.

    Do you know what “next” means? It’s not subjective. The “next” July is in 2017.

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    Mute Anne Marie Devlin
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:20 PM

    @trisha. I concur, but where I live now in cork, it’s different. For me July 2017 is this July (coming). For my husband it’s next July. It has been the source of several misunderstandings.

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    Mute Thevigilantone
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:22 PM

    Its not this July but next July and definitely not last July…

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    Mute John Mahon
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    Feb 16th 2017, 8:00 PM

    Will help tackle the hotel bedrooms deficiency. How charitable of him, always thinking about the needs of others.

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    Mute Alanine Pipeline
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:13 PM

    Aloft is a great American concept – there’s one in Liverpool, in the old Royal Insurance Building. Near the Docks and City centre. Cheap, functional and efficient – this Dublin venue (featuring gym/pool/entertainment/restaurants/themed bars etc.) will have a 100% occupancy levels.

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    Mute David Dickenson
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:17 PM

    @Alanine Pipeline:I never went to Topaz and I shall never cross the door of his hotel. I wish him ill with it.

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    Mute Alanine Pipeline
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:31 PM

    Smartphone access (to rooms, garages, private areas) – via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc. – is common throughout the UK, EU and elsewhere.

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    Mute shits ville
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    Feb 16th 2017, 4:32 PM

    @David Dickenson: DO’B doesn’t own Topaz

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    Mute Johnny Mckee
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:30 PM

    @Alanine Pipeline: No it will not lol who will be there DOB him self ? or maybe his buddy lowry ? yes that sounds right

    DOB must be home on holidays

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    Mute ciaran
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    Feb 16th 2017, 7:06 PM

    @shits ville: technically he sold it but that is before the courts at present, his son and brian cowen were/are senior board members, small world!, they now have our oil import depots to look after

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    Mute shits ville
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    Feb 16th 2017, 8:26 PM

    Sale closed in Feb 2016, his son / nephew and Cowan both resigned in Feb 2016. What’s before the courts is a separate case regarding holdings at Dublin Port. DO’B no longer owns Topaz.

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    Mute Max Johnson Powers
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    Feb 16th 2017, 8:49 PM

    Opening a hotel door with a phone is high tech? I bet the cost to stay there will be high tech too

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    Mute Alan
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    Feb 16th 2017, 5:37 PM

    Deadly.

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