Galway City Council has said it has still not received a satisfactory answer to why the contractor Samuel Kingston Construction abandoned the €9 million redevelopment project at Eyre Square "in the middle of the night, without prior notice".
In a statement today, the council said it was now focused on the emergency works to restore the roads around Eyre Square, as well as commencing the process of finding an alternative contractor for the project.
"Galway City Council would, however, like to correct the following inaccurate claims that were
made in the Samuel Kingston Construction Ltd statement:
"Time extensions to the project did not allow a completion date of February 2006, as claimed
by SKCL. In fact, both parties were working towards a completion date of November 2005," the council said.
"Also, the question of the acceleration programme for the project, within the terms of the contract, was initiated by Galway City Council rather that Samuel Kingston Construction Ltd, as claimed. This programme was not, however, implemented by SKCL, as also claimed.
"Finally, Galway City Council would like to reiterate that all works carried out on the site, under the terms of the agreement, have been paid for in full."
When workers arrived at the site at 8am on Monday they discovered the main contractor Samuel Kingston Construction had withdrawn its machinery and facilities. The workers later left the site.
In a statement issued through its solicitors yesterday, Kingston blamed Galway City Council for failing to honour its contractual obligations.
The company said it regretted the "interruption" but that it was the "unavoidable consequence" of a series of events concerning the contract between the parties.