Waiting continues for Killaloe homeowners

THE waiting game continues for three homeowners who can’t access their houses in a Killaloe ghost estate, despite some recent progress.

Michele Burke and William Buck, John Ryan Senior and John Ryan Junior of Castleconnell have been locked out of their homes at Ard na Deirge for over six years.

The couple met receiver KPMG to discuss the difficulties concerning the completion of services in the estate at a meeting in Dublin on Tuesday.

There were no new developments at this meeting as the receiver stated the site containing 27 houses, excluding the three finished unoccupied houses, is at sale agreed stage and because of this, he couldn’t comment any further.

The three homeowners are hoping the sale can be completed quickly and that the €494,000 bond is used to finish the incomplete services.

The initial planning permission for Ard na Deirge was granted in 2004. It was being developed by John Gallagher until he experienced serious financial difficulties, which resulted in the site being taken over by AIB, who appointed KPMG as its receiver.

Clare County Council held what it described as a “productive meeting” with the receiver last week.

The council’s primary purpose was to arrive at a framework for the completion of the unfinished portion of the development. The authority confirmed it had formally engaged with the UK bondholder Euler Hermes and undertook to push these discussions to a conclusion at the earliest possible date. The receiver and the council agreed to keep in regular contact and to review progress on an ongoing basis.