SUBCONTRACTORS and construction suppliers throughout Clare are owed substantial sums of money following the announcement construction giant Roadbridge is going into receivership, leaving the future of its 630 workforce and a further 1,000 indirect positions in jeopardy.
The Limerick-headquartered civil engineering and construction firm, which traded for over half a century, sent shock waves throughout the Mid-West when it requested Bank of Ireland on Friday to appoint Grant Thornton as receivers as result of insurmountable financial challenges.
This decision also places a major question mark over when projects like the €58 million Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road will be fully completed following the company’s serious financial difficulties.
Residents in South-East Clare are becoming increasingly concerned this unexpected setback will result in years of a delay or may even scupper the project entirely for the foreseeable future.
It is understood half of the first phase of this major piece of road infrastructure is properly finished.
Concerns had been raised when the company, which owes huge sums of money to its main creditor Bank of Ireland, began moving workers off sites last Thursday.
Independent Clare Deputy Michael McNamara has called for Government intervention to prevent the loss of hundreds of jobs amongst subcontractors and suppliers, in addition to those directly employed by Roadbridge, in the event that the company is liquidated.
“The Government needs to do everything possible to protect the firm to ensure it can trade out of current difficulties and pay the many subcontractors and suppliers across Clare who are owed substantial sums of money,” stated Deputy McNamara.
“When the Goodman Group was threatened in the 1990s, the Dáil was recalled by a Haughey-led government to pass legislation introducing examiner ship due to the repercussions across the wider economy.
“A large number of jobs are in jeopardy. I would support Eamon Ryan’s call that the company be protected, and the Government must do everything possible,” Deputy McNamara stressed.
It has been reported that Conor Gilligan, a native of Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, left his role as chief executive recently on so-called ‘gardening leave’, bringing an end to more than 30 years with the company.
Mr Gilligan was one of the nine business people appointed by the Clare County GAA Board to complete a five-year strategic review of the association.
In an interview with Irish Building Review last October, Mr Gilligan outlined every industry experiences peaks and troughs so it is imperative to have exposure to as many different industry sectors as possible.
“We are currently finishing the new runway at Dublin Airport, which was deemed essential during the pandemic, and marine works have become a big area for us because of Brexit. We are the framework contractor to Dublin Port Company and are involved in a major marine development in Scotland. Our order book is secured for the next three years and the future is bright,” he said.
“The top three projects secured over the past year are the N5 Ballaghaderreen Bypass, the Coonagh to Knockalisheen Northern Distributor Road in Limerick and A465 PPP Motorway Project in Wales. We will be starting further projects in both Ireland and the UK in August,” he added.
The article noted turnover reached €246m in 2020, only dropping slightly from the 2019 figure of €271m, and stated Mr Gilligan expected this to rise to €300 million in 2021.
Founded by Pat Mulcair in 1967 and incorporated as a company in 1999, Roadbridge employs 630 people in Ireland, the UK and Sweden and a further estimated 1,000 subcontractor and agency workers.
It was involved in some of the biggest infrastructural road, energy and water projects in Ireland the UK and Europe such as the construction of Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport, the Limerick Tunnel, and the Limerick Greenway.
Roadbridge is one of the largest civil engineering companies in Ireland. It has completed in excess of 250KM of major inter urban motorways in Ireland. It has also laid 360km of gas pipeline for Bord Gais and Irish Shell.
It has been responsible for all phases of the construction of
Arthurstown Landfill in Co Kildare and has been main contractor on major wastewater schemes, such as Limerick Main Drainage, Dungarvan Sewerage Scheme and Castlebar Main Drainage.
East Clare correspondent, Dan Danaher is a journalism graduate of Rathmines and UL. He has won numerous awards for special investigations on health, justice, environment, and reports on news, agriculture, disability, mental health and community.