Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 May 2018
208. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the bundle of schools and a company (details supplied); when each school affected will be open; and when subcontractors will be paid. [22316/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Schools Bundle 5 PPP Project encompasses five school buildings and one further education college across four sites in Bray, Wexford, Carlow and Kells. Under the PPP arrangement, the PPP company, InspiredSpaces, had a construction works contract with Carillion Construction Ltd, which further sub-contracted to Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd (SCIL).
When Carillion Construction Ltd went into liquidation, their works contract was terminated. DIF, one of the shareholders in the PPP company, tendered for a replacement contractor for the completion of the buildings. DIF was working towards the delivery of all school buildings by the coming school year. However, the appointment of an examiner to SCIL last month has added complexity to this process and it is not yet clear the extent to which this will impact on achievement of that timeline.
While our clear focus remains on getting the new schools delivered as quickly as possible, the Department has been engaging with the relevant school authorities in relation to contingency plans to mitigate against any issues arising from delays in the delivery of the new school buildings.
In the case of all school building projects, it is a matter for sub-contractors and suppliers to agree terms and conditions and a schedule of payments with the main contractor as their direct employer or customer. We are aware of reports that some sub-contractors to Sammon have not been paid for work undertaken. While we appreciate the very difficult situation faced by sub-contractors in this situation, neither the Department nor NDFA are party to, nor have visibility of, the contractual and payment arrangements or transactions between Sammon and its sub-contractors, and we do not have authority to intervene on those matters.
In any event, the examiner appointed to Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd will have a key role in this regard during the examinership period.
