The Sunday Business Post

Dublin City Council has granted permission for a major apartment block at the rear of an illegal hostel that it considers a potential firetrap. Controversial architect David Grant owns the Celtic Inn at 7-10 Upper Gardiner Street in Dublin. He runs the building as a hostel without permission and without a fire safety certificate. On March 21, the same day the city council began fire safety proceedings against Grant, it gave him the go ahead for a multi-million euro development at the rear of the building. Simultaneously, the council is attempting to have Grant jailed for contempt of a High Court order over his illegal gutting of the buildings, which are protected Georgian structures. The Scotsman was the subject of a recent Prime Time investigation into the architectural services that he offers to the public, mainly through newspaper adverts.