O’CONNELL STEET DELAYS

PG 5

THERE was mixed news regarding the O’Connell St enhancement works at yesterday’s meeting of Sligo County Council. The good news was Thursday’s announcement from the Department that 18 temporary contracts ranging from 18 months to five years have been sanctioned.

These include Capital Roads work staff, which will be dealing with O’Connell St. However, due to the complex technical design and engineering processes surrounding the enhancement works, Director of Services Tom Kilfeather said the timeframe will unfortunately be delayed to accommodate these and works won’t begin until September 2017 at the earliest with completion in 2018.

A lengthy debate in the chamber saw councillors agreeing to pass a Section 140 motion which calls on CEO Ciaran Hayes to carry out the councillors’ proposals to get the work started in the first quarter of 2017, which was the original date.

The motion was proposed by Cllr Declan Bree, Sean MacManus, Hubert Keaney and Seamus Kilgannnon.

The CEO said he could not implement the motion due to legal cases that could be brought against the council if he did so.

“The way we operate must be lawful and we are restricted by law on acting. My advice to you is this executive is prohibited by law at implementing the wishes of the motion to get the work done in the first quarter. That is the situation.”

He added: “I have consulted with our legal advisor and the motion is legal but the difficulty for the executive is the motion seeks to have the tender process concluded by the first quarter of 2017. Given the length of the process, it is not possible regarding the detail, design and procurement to have it concluded by the first quarter of 2017.

“If I was to implement this, it could leave the council open to a claim and legal proceedings,” he said.

“If the motion is passed and implemented by the executives then it would lead to shortcuts in the procurement process and leave the council open to proceedings,” he told members.

Director of Services Tom Kilfeather said it was not the intention of the executive to postpone projects but unfortunately it does mean they get delayed. Presently, consultants and engineers are looking at the design again and this will take approximately ten weeks. It should be ready to go to tender by the end of February. “Taking into account a two month timeframe during the tender process and a one and a half month tender assessment, this brings it into the end of May. Then there is a contract standstill period and the council must ensure all the insurances are in place.

“We then have to have regard for the desires of traders that they will have O’Connell St fully available to them during the tourism period,” he said. He said it’s expected to have the contractor on the ground by early September, to carry out substantial works until November 30th. “It will be early 2018 before the scheme is concluded,” Mr Kilfeather said. “We are progressing the scheme but it is very technical, complex and we cannot risk problems.

“Last week’s approval of staff means all schemes can move forward.”

Councillors spoke of their dismay both to traders and the Sligo people that the works will not be ready as previously outlined. Cllr Declan Bree said: “The fact that councillors felt compelled to table Section 140 motions for two months in succession speaks volumes about the manner in which this council is being managed.” Cllr Sean MacManus said it reflected poorly on the council and how it’s being run, adding as elected representatives councillors had a duty to businesses and the people of Sligo. “We got the businesses on our side and we need to keep them on our side,” he added. Cllr Kilgannon said it was good news that some progress was being made with the sanctioning of jobs. Cllr Rosaleen O’Grady said it was important the message was going out there that Sligo was open to business. The CEO said other schemes were also being taken into account, and it was not possible to comply with the motion’s timescale with regard to detail, design and procurement processes. Mr Kilfeather said 50% of the cost of the O’Connell St works are already approved.