The Dominican Sisters are suing builders, architects and engineers over allegedly defective construction work on a new convent in Taylor’s Hill, Galway.
The nuns claim the work was defective and, despite efforts to repair it, the problems continued. It would now be more economical to demolish and replace the building at an estimated cost of €8.4 million, they contend.
There are 14 people living in the convent, nine of whom are aged over 80, Mr Justice Peter Kelly noted yesterday when he transferred the action by the nuns to the Commercial Court.
The Congregation of Dominican Sisters is suing architects O’Connor, Keogh, Mulcaire Ltd, Woodquay, Galway, and engineers HGL O’Connor and Co Ltd, Citypoint, Prospect Hill, Galway.
It is also suing TBD Building Contractors Ltd and TBD Group Holdings Ltd, Merchant Road, Galway, which, it is alleged, had in January 2000 made an agreement with the nuns to build a new convent residence, demolish the existing convent and carry out some site development for future housing at the Taylor’s Hill property.
The judge adjourned the matter to November.