LANDLORD MARC GODART faces an “urgent” hearing accused of breaking planning laws through unauthorised short-term lettings in Dublin.

Dublin City Council has initiated a prosecution against Godart, a Luxembourg businessman with significant property holdings in Ireland.

He is a director of Green Label Property Investments Ltd and a secretary of Capel Grand Inn Ltd; the companies were also listed as co-defendants at Dublin District Court today.

His mother, Denise Godart, faces three related charges as a Green Label Property Investments Ltd director.

Godart faces six, Green Label Property Investments Ltd has five, and Capel Grand Inn Ltd has a single count on its summons.

The offences are contrary to section 151 of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 – 2003 for unauthorised short-term lettings at three properties in Dublin 1, located at 11 Capel Street, Block G, The Foundry, Beaver St, and Unit 2A, The Forge, Railway Street.

The offences were allegedly committed between 4 and 6 June last year.

The Godarts have the same Reuben House, Dublin 8 address as Green Label Property Investments Ltd.

They did not appear in court, but Godart’s barrister addressed Judge Anthony Halpin.

Solicitor Michael Quinlan, for Dublin City Council (DCC), told Judge Halpin there were separate prosecutions for all the parties.

He said it was DCC’s application “to have the most urgent hearing date as possible in relation to these matters”. Asked by the judge about the nature of the allegations, Quinlan added: “It relates to unauthorised short-term letting in relation to three properties by Mr Godart.”

“There is the unauthorised short-term letting at 11 Capel Street, the unauthorised short-term letting of Block G, the Foundry and 2A Railway Street,” he said.

He said DCC contended that “this is not being let as holiday lets; there is quite a capacity issue in relation to these properties as well”.

He added that the council would call two prosecution witnesses if the case goes to a fully contested hearing.

Defence Stephen Wilson BL, for Godart, pleaded for an adjournment until next month and said there was the issue of costs, but the judge replied that “there are more issues than costs.”

Counsel said discussions were in place.

Granting an adjournment, Judge Halpin agreed to list the case for mention only in February and assigned 8 April as the hearing date if the defendants contest the prosecutions.

It was estimated that a full hearing would take half a day.

Judge Halpin remarked to the barrister that this would “concentrate your client’s minds; when you have a hearing date, it is amazing what work can be done between now and the hearing date”.

Conviction can result in fines of €5,000 per charge, and a person convicted under the same section of the Act can face a sentence of up to six months.