Dublin People - Residents vent anger over shock pull-out

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Residents vent anger over shock pull-out

Wednesday, 04 June 2008

DUBLIN City Council has revealed that it is examining the legal implications in relation to the decision of a major developer to pull out of five major social housing schemes.
Just two weeks ago McNamara Construction stunned the council and local residents in several estates when it announced it was pulling out of the projects which are worth over e900 million.
Following the decision local representatives called an emergency meeting last week in which a number of pressing questions were put to the council.
In a report issued to all councillors, city planning officials revealed how and why McNamara Construction were awarded the contracts.
“The company qualified for all five competitions based on the assessment of information at the time and were awarded the final contracts as their bid was deemed to be the most economically advantageous tender,” it was stated.
“[The developer] was awarded these contracts over a three year period, which if the projects had proceeded on time, would have resulted in staggered start dates and construction programmes, which given the resources demonstrated in the bids submitted would have been achievable.”

According to the Assistant City Manager, Ciaran McNamara, there is no obligation upon the preferred bidder to proceed if a contract has not been signed.
This would apply in the case of St Michael’s Estate on the Southside and Dominick Street in the heart of the Northside.
“Where a contract has been signed there are a set of remedies available in the contract agreement,” said Ciaran McNamara, of Dublin City Council.
“The council’s legal team has been instructed to examine the possible legal remedies on each of the five projects.”
According to local councillor Emer Costello (Lab), the report did little to clarify outstanding issues.
“I’m not satisfied as to why McNamara Construction was awarded all five schemes,” she told Northside People.
“This report throws up even more questions in relation to the contracts and we need more clarification on the matter.”
The report comes as little comfort to those most affected by the collapse of projects – residents of O’Devaney Gardens, Sean Mac Dermott Street, Dominick Street, Infirmary Road and St Michael’s estate on the Southside.
Hundreds of residents held an angry protest outside the city council last Monday evening (May 26).
Locals held placards saying ‘Remember O’Devaney Gardens before it’s too late’ and ‘Where is the light at the end of our tunnel?’
According to O’Devaney Gardens resident Martina Daly, residents will not give up on the regeneration of their areas.
“We have all come together from the five areas affected and we won’t stop protesting until something is done to resolve the matter,” she told Northside People.
“We have been working towards this regeneration for over 10 years and we have not taken lightly the news that the schemes are to be scrapped.”

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