IRISH CONTINENTAL Group chief executive Eamonn Rothwell and Clodagh Moreland yesterday agreed to a court settlement in a legal case related to work done on their €5 million home.
Barrister Mark Harty, counsel for quantity surveyor Andrew Nugent, told the Circuit Civil Court the defendants had refused to pay his clients’ professional fees relating to a proposed €1.6 million renovation at their home.
Andrew Nugent said Mr Rothwell and Ms Moreland had reneged on a €30,000 fees bill for preparing costings of a renovation of Biscayne House, South Hill Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin, which included a swimming pool, tennis court and a €450,000 two-storey photographic studio.
He said Andrew P Nugent and Associates, Lower Kimmage Road, Dublin, had been engaged in 2003 on the defendants’ behalf by architects De Blacam and Meagher, with whom they had a 30-year association. He had carried out a survey of Biscayne House, prepared budget costings for a renovation, a Bill of Quantities and tender documentation. The company had never been paid.
Following a day-long court hearing in which barrister Jonathan Newman, for Mr Rothwell and Ms Moreland, said his clients claimed architects De Blacam and Meagher were responsible for Mr Nugent’s bill, the case was settled.
He said Mr Rothwell and Ms Moreland, who had not given evidence, had agreed that a sum of money would be paid to Mr Nugent and the matter could be adjourned to April 12th for mention. In the event of money not being paid the defendants would agree to an order for judgment against them.
Mr Harty told Judge Jacqueline Linnane that Mr Nugent’s claim would take its place on April 12th alongside another case against Mr Rothwell and Clodagh Moreland by Terence O’Neill and John Rooney of Fearon O’Neill Rooney, consulting engineers, Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2, who had settled another claim for €40,000.