A NOTORIOUS Irish developer and former IRA hunger striker is trying to drum up over £8million in Britain so he can return to the property business.
Bankrupt tycoon Tom McFeely has been approaching “middlemen” in London in the hope of contacting prospective buyers of major NAMA loans, according to media reports in Ireland.
McFeely is understood to be offering his “expertise” to potential financiers here amid claims he is acting on behalf of small developers in Ireland.
“He claims to have the inside track on various deals in Ireland,” a source in the property industry told the Sunday Independent.
“His problem is Google, the moment you do any due diligence on him, up pops Priory Hall,” the source added.
McFeely has been in the news in recent years over his involvement in Dublin’s Priory Hall apartment block.
Almost 250 people were moved out of the building in 2011 after it was deemed a fire hazard and serious building deficiencies were identified.
Reports of McFeely’s approaches in Britain emerged as legal proceedings against him continue at home.
Last Friday a court action in Dublin against the one-time property tycoon was postponed until early October.
McFeely has not paid a €24,288 (£20,448) bill from MCR Personnel Ltd, a company that specialises in recruitment for the construction industry.
He faces up to three months in jail for failing to comply with an order by Dublin District Court to pay the money.
He was set to return to court this week but the case was adjourned until October 8 as the presiding judge was not available on the original date.
The news comes as Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau was called in by NAMA to investigate the discovery of €140,000 (£118,000) under a bath in McFeely’s former Dublin home.
A plumber came across the stash of €50 notes while carrying out renovation work on the recently sold house, from which NAMA evicted McFeely and his family last year.
Detectives from CAB are expected to question the Derry-born developer this week over whether the cash is his.
See More: Investigation, Property Developer, Tom McFeely
