€3m spent on Cluain Airne, council hears

MORE than €3m has already been spent on the stalled Cluain Airne social housing scheme, this week’s meeting of Shannon Town Council heard.

Work on 22 houses in the first phase has been stopped for some time but things came to a head recently when it was announced that the contract with the existing contractor had been terminated.
At the meeting of the town council, Councillor Gerry Flynn introduced a motion seeking answers to a number of questions regarding the development.
With regard to the cost to date, a written response to his motion from town manager Bernadette Kinsella stated, “Expenditure to November 1, 2010, on the scheme is €3,142,322, which includes planning and design fees, construction costs and site works.”
The reply also indicated that the termination of the contract should not drive up the overall cost of the development. “Contract payments made to date reflect the value of completed works. The works required to complete Phase 1, together with payments to date, are not expected to exceed the original contract value. While the termination of the contract may result in some time delay, we do not anticipate any financial consequences,” she said.
The response indicated that arrangements to secure a completion contractor have begun, while it is not expected that the completion date will be much later than had been planned. “At this stage, it is considered realistic that Phase 1 would be completed by late spring 2011.”
Councillor Cathy McCafferty also put forward a motion regarding Cluain Airne, asking if there would be any implications for the unfinished roundabout and road development at Inis Rí. In her response, Ms Kinsella stated, “The construction of a new roundabout and road at this location was planned as part of the affordable housing scheme and will now form part of the completion contract.”
There was some criticism of this response, with Councillor McCafferty saying she doesn’t believe it can be left as it is. She was supported by Councillor Greg Duff.
“There is a lot of parking at the bend and it has to be treated as a priority,” he said.
Councillor Seán McLoughlin asked that if there is not sufficient take up of the affordable housing, would the stock be used as social housing.
Ms Kinsella said that there had been a very good level of interest in the affordable housing and there is no reason to believe they wouldn’t all be disposed of.
Councillor Michael Fleming asked if security had been put in place at the site and if residents’ representatives had been properly informed about it.
A letter from Nicole Murphy of the Concerned Residents of Cluain Airne group complained that residents living adjacent to the stalled development are not being kept in the loop.
“Despite being the nominated correspondence reps for Cluain Airne, we have not been updated as promised by Bernadette Kinsella and it wasn’t until an article in The Clare Champion that it was noted that completion would be in the new year, listing the cold weather and the issues with the rights of way as reasons for the slippage in work. The weather has been fine and work continued daily when the concerns arose about the rights of way and the extinguishment of the paths,” Ms Murphy said.
She claimed that Ms Kinsella had said in May that work was ahead of schedule.
The letter concluded with another call for more communication with residents. “As the nominated reps for Cluain Airne, we would appreciate updates from either you our councillors or from Bernadette Kinsella, as had been promised on an ongoing basis and would appreciate replies to emails that are sent. We have many residents asking us for information and unless we get feedback from you, we are unable to give them the correct replies,” she said.