Council out of pocket by €100k as builder goes bust

A local authority is almost €100,000 out of pocket over a fruitless pursuit for cash spent on repairing the roof of its €25m base in Ennis.

The headquarters were built by developer Bernard McNamara’s Michael McNamara & Co.

In a report, a senior Clare County Council official has confirmed that the cash is “deemed irrecoverable arising from the fact that the building contractors are in receivership”.

Last year, the council hired contractors to fix the roof — three years after the official opening of the headquarters which the developer Bernard McNamara attended.

He is a former member of Clare County Council.

At the opening in 2008, Mr McNamara said the delivery of cost per square foot in the building was half to two thirds of what other local authorities spent on their headquarters.

Mayor at the time, Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) told Mr McNamara and the gathered audience that the headquarters would serve as a “beacon of light for Clare in the 21st century”.

The repair work was undertaken to replace parapets that had come loose.

Councillors were told last year that Michael McNamara & Co was being pursued for the €98,227 repair bill.

In response to the fact that there is now no prospect of the council recovering the monies, Cllr Brian Meaney (Greens) said yesterday: “The council has no choice but to spend the money to stop the rain coming in. It couldn’t put a plastic sheet over the building.”

Mr Meaney said: “The council cannot afford to take a hit like this. It is already almost €250,000 down due to Department of the Environment cuts and services will be hit.

“The council does not have a bottomless pit of funding.”

In Nov 2010, Nama appointed a receiver to Michael McNamara & Co.

This came some 10 months after Mr McNamara acknowledged that he was broke.

The Clare development project had sentimental value for Bernard McNamara.

Michael McNamara & Co was established by Mr McNamara’s late father, Michael in the 1940s.

He began his building career as a craftsman in his native Lisdoonvarna, carrying out repairs and alterations to local buildings for Clare County Council.

Bernard McNamara served as a councillor on the council from 1974 to 1985.

The council building provides accommodation for 300 staff, as well as meeting rooms, a staff canteen, and laboratory.

The mayor’s office, the council chamber, and three party rooms for the elected members are also located in the building.

Some 320 car parking spaces are provided at the rear.