Frank Fahey, Chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, opened West Properties International's lavish new offices in Sofia, Bulgaria, last week for his constituent Brian Conneely, owner of the company.

With 19 developments underway in the capital city of Sofia and on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, Conneely's company has made a strong dent on the local market. Many of his investors in Bulgarian property come from Galway.

Born in Luton of parents from the Connemara and Aran islands, Conneely settled in Galway, using local property as a springboard for investment and equity in Bulgaria. When he sourced further local partners in Sofia, he had the finance and expertise to expand his West Properties into Pomorie, Tsarevo, Lozenets and Sunny Beach with further sites earmarked for development in other areas - Samokov region and Pchelin.

West Properties International is planning to spend about €500 million bringing new developments to the outskirts of Bulgarian towns and resorts.