New Cork motorway: Taoiseach Micheál Martin confident BAM can deliver project on time and under budget
The latest contract on the table is for the M28 Ringaskiddy motorway, which was signed this week to the tune of €206 million and has a completion date of Summer 2028.
The agreement came on the same date as the latest delay in the construction of the National Children's Hospital came to light, while closer to home the Dutch contractor has applied for a five-year extension on the Cork Events Centre, on which the sod was turned in 2016.
Alasdair Henderson, Executive Director of BAM Ireland said at the M28 launch that the project 'reflects our continued commitment to building sustainable, future-ready infrastructure that serves communities and commerce alike.'
That same day, BAM issued High Court proceedings against the Irish state over a €122m claim for extra costs resulting from delays in the National Children's Hospital.
That comes after the revelation that the final completion date of the hospital is now expected to be September 30, with an estimated final cost of €2.24bn.
The Taoiseach says, despite all the various delays, he is confident that BAM can deliver the M28 on time and under budget, but says that laws dictate the Government's decisions on contracts, regardless of public opinion or confidence.
'Under European Union procurement protocols, they're open, they're transparent, governments do have to adhere to them,' said the Taoiseach. 'BAM have come in on time on other road projects and on other civil engineering projects, and that is the position.
The Taoiseach was speaking outside Dosco cleaning supplies, a Cork-based firm that has been in business since 1884. Since then, the Cork-based company have been manufacturing brushes and other cleaning items for its140 years-plus.
'The public may or may not (have confidence) but the bottom line is that we have to adhere to the rules of procurement. We can't deviate from them, otherwise we face other potential legal penalties. If one was to say that a government was to…debar a company, there would be legal consequences for that.
'To be fair, and to be balanced, there are issues with the Children's Hospital that have been ongoing and unacceptable, but equally the company has executed projects in other parts of the country.'
Despite this, the Taoiseach says that the European Union needs to keep its procurement laws 'under review'.
'Where there's non-conformance…those contracting should have recourse to some actions in that respect.'
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