Court orders winding up of Conrad Gallagher restaurant companies
The High Court has ordered the winding up of two companies operating restaurants of celebrity chef Conrad Gallagher.
The Revenue Commissioners petitioned the court to wind up Boutique Restaurants Concepts Ltd and Super Potato Ltd which run Salon des Saveurs restaurant in Dublin and Conrad's Kitchen in Sligo after the firms failed to satisfy demands for unpaid taxes of more than €160,000.
Today at the High Court Ms Justice Mary Laffoy said she was satisfied to make orders winding up both firms as clearly they were insolvent and unable to pay their debts.
The Judge appointed Mr Ian Lawlor of JPA Brenson Lawlor Limited as liquidator to both firms, which have registered addresses at Aungier Street, Dublin 2.
Mr Gallagher, who was just 26 when he won a Michelin star, is not listed as a director of either company. His wife Candice and his mother Evelyn Gallagher are listed as directors of both firms.
The Judge refused an application by Barry Mansfield Bl for the companies to further adjourn the petitions seeking to wind up the firms.
Counsel said he was seeking an adjournment in order to allow the companies time to see if external funding could be obtained in order to satisfy the debt.
Counsel added that as neither firm was currently trading, Revenue would suffer no prejudice or dissipation of assets if time was allowed for the firms to put together a proposal that would be acceptable to Revenue.
However, Revenue opposed the firm's application for an adjournment. In reply to Judge Laffoy who asked if "a bird in the hand was not worth two in the bush to Revenue" Mark O'Mahony Bl for the commissioners said in this instance he suspected "there was no bird at all".
As far as Revenue were concerned, counsel said, any application to adjourn proceedings was "devoid of merit".
Counsel said no concrete offer had been made to revenue to settle the debt since the demands was made, nor had anything been out on paper to show that the companies would be able to secure external funding.
Counsel said Boutique Restaurant Concepts, which was incorporated in January 2010, owed approximately €116,000 in unpaid VAT, PAYE and PRSI.
A demand for payment was served on the firm last December.
Super Potato Ltd, counsel added, owed revenue €50,000 in unpaid VAT, PAYE and PRSI. Counsel added that firm was incorporated in September 2010, and was served with a demand for payment last May.
After appointing Mr Lawlor as liquidator the Judge ordered that the directors of the firms Candice and Evelyn file statements of affairs and listed the matter before a sitting of the Examiners court later this year.
