TD urges State to finish Waterford sports campus
Fine Gael’s John Deasy said officials at Waterford Institute of Technology are due to appear before the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee next month which will seek an explanation as to why construction on the €9m Carriganore Sports Campus came to a halt in 2012.
A report by Eugene McKenna, the former CEO of Diverse Campus Services — the company tasked with delivering the facility — has laid the blame for the delay with a failed attempt to consolidate the company as a subsidiary of WIT during the project’s construction.
The report, submitted to the PAC last week, blamed “inadequate leadership” during the consolidation process as the reasons why construction of the centre stopped.
The unfinished development has laid idle for three years now, and the design team behind the complex estimate the deferrals will see the cost of finishing the campus running to more than €4m over-budget.
Mr Deasy said he accepts there was a leadership issue behind the suspension of works on the project.
“It’s hard to disagree with Eugene McKenna on the issue of leadership as it pertains to the sports campus,” Mr Deasy said.
“We will have WIT before the committee on December 10 and it [the sports campus] will form a major part of that hearing,” he said.
The Department of Education yesterday said it has committed €2.9m to the project, and is considering a request for further funds.
“In any event all funding advanced in relation to this project will be repayable,” a spokesman said.
Mr Deasy said: “For me the priority it to finish the job.
“I think there is a realisation with the department that the State needs to step in.
“Not to disagree with Eugene McKenna, but the job at hand now is to finish what should have been done years ago.”
WIT has declined to comment on the report ahead of the PAC meeting.
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