Fears were expressed yesterday that Clare County Council will have to foot a €130,000 bill to fix the roof of its new €25 million headquarters, reports Gordon Deegan.
The council has confirmed it is pursuing the company’s receiver, RSM Farrell Grant Sparks, for €131,640 in relation to roof repairs for the headquarters, built by developer Bernard McNamara’s Michael McNamara Co.
Less than three years ago, at the building’s official opening, then mayor Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said the building would serve as a “beacon of light for Clare in the 21st century”. Cllr PJ Kelly (FF) said yesterday: “Visitors could be pardoned for believing that they had stepped into a latter-day Fawlty Towers . . . Over the last four months, the building appears to be in a permanent state of repair.”
Mr Kelly expressed fears the council will not be able to recover the €131,640 from RSM Farrell Grant Sparks for the repairs. It is understood the council has the status of an unsecured creditor in the receivership process and it is unlikely any money will be left for unsecured creditors after preferential creditors and charge holders have been paid.
A senior council official said payments due for works complete total €51,640; the estimated costs of completion is €80,000. RSM Farrell Grant Sparks declined to comment.