Early 2021 has been underlined as the target for the appointment of a tender for the County Library.
Originally, the end of this year has been the original timeframe for the completion of the library, however it is now hoped construction will resume by this stage.
Workers had been off site since July when the appointed tenders Keating Construction entered examinership leading to the termination of its contract with Clare County Council . It emerged that debts in excess of €30m have been uncovered at the company which was founded in 1987. Liquidation was granted for the company at the end of January.
As a result of this, a revised schedule for works on the County Library remains unknown. Costs of the projected are already close to €14m with €5m set aside by the local authority for the library building on Causeway Link in Ennis.
Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG) sought an update on “where the new County Library is in terms of the recent unfortunate court decision with the original contractors” at a recent sitting of Clare County Council.
“We are trying to fast-track the process to have a new tender for the County Library,” Council Chief Executive Pat Dowling stated. He added, “We hope to have it in place as soon as possible in early 2021”.
