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Dublin: 11 °C Friday 24 May, 2013

Second Grehan brother declares bankruptcy in England, owing NAMA €308m

Danny Grehan – who owes NAMA €308m – follows his brother’s lead by declaring himself bankrupt in a court in Slough.

The former UCD Veterinary Hospital in Ballsbridge, for which the Grehan Brothers paid €171.5m in 2005 - the highest per-acre price ever paid for Irish property.
The former UCD Veterinary Hospital in Ballsbridge, for which the Grehan Brothers paid €171.5m in 2005 - the highest per-acre price ever paid for Irish property.
Image: Google Maps

DEVELOPER DANNY GREHAN has followed the lead of his brother Ray and declared himself bankrupt in an English court – potentially making it more difficult for NAMA to pursue the €308 million he owes it.

Papers filed by Britain’s Insolvency Service show Grehan filed for bankrupcy on January 6 at the county court in Slough.

Grehan gave an address at Uxbridge in Middlesex, which he shares with his business Danny Grehan Project Management. His occupation is listed as ‘project manager’.

His former addresses include one at Crinstown in Maynooth, an address also given by Ray Grehan in his own separate filing.

Grehan and his brother Ray were behind the most expensive purchase of property on a per-acre basis during Ireland’s property boom: in 2005, they bought the former UCD Veterinary Hospital site in Ballsbridge for €171.5m – for a site slightly less than two acres.

Pursuing bankruptcy proceedings in the UK is preferential for fallen developers, as they can potentially emerge from bankruptcy within 12 months – as opposed to the 12 years that it may take in the Republic.

Grehan’s papers indicate that his bankruptcy will be automatically discharged on January 6, 2013 – a week after his brother’s similar status, filed at a court in London, is discharged.

The bankruptcy will require all of Grehan’s assets to be distributed among his creditors – which means NAMA will not necessarily be given priority over any other creditors he may have.

Like his brother, Danny is entitled to file for bankruptcy in the UK as that is where his “main interests” are based – the brothers have significant property interests in Britain and Northern Ireland.

The brothers were personally pursued by NAMA over the estimated €650m owed by their Glenkerrin Group to the state’s ‘bad bank’. NAMA won a €312m judgment against Ray Grehan, and a €308m judgment against Danny, last November.

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Comments (11 Comments)

  • Was that why Enda was in London today to declare Ireland bankrupt wait a year as we are fully funded then restart again

    Reply
  • €650 million…….holy crap….. Who in gods name thought lending anyone that much money was a good idea…never mind these two. Jesus christ >:[

    Reply
  • Not bad for a tiler turned developer just like the bricklayer(Gerry Gannon). If they end up with a house and a car they will have more than fellow tradesmen. They also lived well for years which I am sure their families also enjoyed. Now that they have to be bankrupt the people they left high and dry like timers and bricklayers etc are left in a mess with the taxpayer and welfare people paying their bills.

    Reply
  • This is a joke!!

    Every Cowboy builder in Southern Ireland is filing for Bankruptcy in the U.K

    Writing of Billions of Euros owed to the Irish Taxpayer
    ”Claiming” it is there ”Centre of Main Interest”
    Without even a peep out of NAMA or the IBRC Anglo Party.
    These new found ”British Subjects” barely get of the plane in the U.K.

    At the same time they are trying to bury Sean Quinn,the only one who comes from North of the border,
    and who had REAL BUSINESSES there for the last 40 years plus.

    Strange too how the Republics media seems to have it in for Sean Quinn, even though he has created thousands of jobs in Southern Ireland over the last 40 years.
    Yet they seem to give Anglo’s Goldenboy Builders praise??
    Is it because they spent Billions of their borrowed Euros advertising their Overpriced Shoebox Apartments in the Republics biased media.

    I wonder will NAMA or the IBRC Anglo Party try to overturn the Grehan Brothers and Co’s Bankruptcies in the U.K courts???

    Reply
    • Without a peep out of a supine spineless government, but one that generates plenty of heavy handed threats about anyone not paying the new house tax. All the Important People onto the escalator, the rest use the stairs please.

      Reply
  • Good for them.
    The bankruptcy laws here are a joke.
    I hope Nama has learned something from this. The Nama people were quick to send in a receiver when the Grehans weren’t doing what they were told and now Nama can sing for what bits it’ll get from the liquidator.

    Reply
  • Good headline !
    No mention of the dreaded “UK” misnomer

    Well done the journal !!

    Reply
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