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Updated 2.20pm
EDUCATION MINISTER RICHARD Bruton has said he is confident the collapse of the UK construction company Carillion will not jeopardise the construction completion of a number of Irish schools.
There are concerns over hundreds of projects on the books of the company which was forced into liquidation after its huge financial troubles of £1.5 billion made the firm buckle.
Carillion is involved in a number of projects in Ireland, including five schools and the Carlow Institute of Further Education.
Last year, the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) announced that the contract for the government’s Schools Bundle 5 PPP project was being awarded to the InspiredSpaces consortium – a joint venture between Carillion and the Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF).
The NDFA acted as an agent for the Department of Education and Skills in the procurement of the project.
Carillion is responsible for the design, build, finance and maintenance of five schools on four sites in counties Carlow, Meath, Wexford and Wicklow. The schools included are:
The estimated capital value of the contract is approximately €100 million. To date, the State has made a payment of €4m in respect of off-site works.
Responding to TheJournal.ie, the Department of Education and Skills is aware of the compulsory liquidation of Carillion.
The department said the NDFA is currently assessing the implications of the Carillion liquidation on the contract for the schools mentioned above.
It noted that the NDFA is liaising with DIF in relation to next steps, adding that at this time, the school buildings in question are approximately 90% complete.
The statement continued:
The Department of Education and Skills remains committed to the full completion of these schools in as timely a manner as possible.
The State is not obliged to make any further payment until the full works and services set out under the contract have been satisfactorily delivered for each school.
Bruton on Corillion collapse pic.twitter.com/PMA0oK2r4H
— TheJournal Politics (@TJ_Politics) January 15, 2018
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The Department of Education and Skills said it is monitoring the situation closely and will provide a further update as available.
Education Minister Richard Bruton reiterated that the State has only paid out a small sum of money on works that have already been completed, adding that the State own the schools.
He said he is confident the NDFA will be able to discuss a process for resolving an completing these works with the remaining shareholder.
An NDFA spokesman said that in accordance with international best practice, the schools contract includes detailed provisions that apply in the event of the liquidation to ensure that the project proceeds on a “business as usual” basis with minimal disruption.
The NDFA said it does not envisage material disruption or delay to the works. However the NDFA is actively monitoring the position in the context of the robust contractual protections under the contract.
Worldwide, Carillion has been involved in a number of large-scale projects, such as Battersea Power station redevelopment and the Anfield Stadium expansion. It was also due to be involved in the forthcoming HS2 high-speed railway line in the UK.
The company employs about 20,000 people in the UK, however Sky News reports some 43,000 jobs worldwide now hang in the balance.
TheJournal.ie has attempted to contact Carillion for comment.
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Shame he can’t sign one punishing anyone in the US from interfering in foreign elections. Although, in fairness, they have often just skipped the elections and went straight for the overthrow.
@WinstonSmith: He’s been asking why he just can’t assassinate world leaders he doesn’t like…
@WinstonSmith: “Overthrow” is politically incorrect. “Regime change to restore democracy” is more acceptable.
@John Ryan: Surprised he didn’t drone strike McCain’s funeral. Would be a fitting tribute.
@kartz: Yeah democracy all right. The voters at shareholder meetings for oil companies and companies that sell military equipment.
@kartz: or in Egypt’s case, ‘regime change to irradicate democracy’ when the Yanks didn’t like who the Egyptian people voted for.
@WinstonSmith: Because someone in the whitehouse snatched the documents from his desk before he could sign them
@Harry Whitehead: an observation is not whataboutary…. back under the bridge with you troll
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: …irradiate OR eradicate, not both.
@Harry Whitehead: The well documented interference of the US in hundreds of foreign governments is neither a conspiracy not disputed. It also happens to be the same topic, that topic being meddling on foreign governments. …. and I am not embarrassed, but I thank you for your concern.
Another document he thinks he signed. One of his own staff probably switched it out for an expenses claim form at the last second while making screw ball gestures behind his back.
@Tweed Cap: probably just a small loan of a million dollars…
Will that order include American interference in other countries elections also.
@Donal Desmond: No, that wouldn’t really make a lot of sense as they’d be punishing themselves. Hope this helped.
@Donal Desmond: A NO COME ON
That horse has bolted Donald, much to your benefit.
@Jamie McCormack: Do as I say.
Not as I do.
That’s sorted so….!!!
@Paul Shepherd: Israel of course will be exempt
@Tommy C: I think you’ll find they are fully embedded
@Herbert: just my way of saying exactly that
To be honest, lads, I jumped straight to the comments on this one….
@Eidhne Conlon: Can understand why. Down with anyway.
The real teflon don
@Kieran Stafford: Muller got Gotti…he’ll get Trump too…
@John Ryan: not likely
What’s he going to do? Go to some other country (I’m looking at you Russia) and prosecute someone there? Yeah right
@Bridget O’Hanlon: Israel interfers more than any other country in the US elections. Always have.
McCarthyism Paranoia… I can see free speech on Twitter from people in foreign countries tweeting about the US elections being chased by the FBI and by the NSA now?
To all my cousins and friends living in America. Don’t vote for this annoying orange clown next election. Awaits the jackboots of Team America at my door.
Crickets……
What a knut.
I wonder if they will prosecute Israel now
Will he expect the ICC to do the prosecuting?
Waiting for the Journal to publish a story on how John Kerry may have violated the Logan Act on multiple occasions. I could be waiting a while.
This will backfire spectacularly on him.. dunce
have your say