Company’s liquidation delays Limerick school extension
Nautic was put in place in 2022 to construct the extension
THE PRINCIPAL of a Limerick secondary school which has had its extension delayed due to its builder going bust hopes it will be ready by summer.
Mike O’Hara, who leads Scoil Pól in Kilfinane says staff and students feel “gravely let down” after Nautic Building Company went into liquidation.
It stopped the €5m extension of the school in its tracks, but the principal says talks have taken place with the liquidators of Nautic from Deloitte, and efforts were being made to source an alternative contractor to finish the job.
“The future is bright - we will get it finished,” he told the Limerick Leader, saying he hopes it could happen by summer or the start of the autumn term.
The building firm, based just off South Circular Road in the city, was brought to an end, owing around 250 sub-contractors a reported €5m in total.
Nautic was put in place in 2022 to construct the extension of Scoil Pól, which has 720 students and 85 staff.
This comprises of eight new classrooms, new music, art and science rooms, a new female toilet block plus offices and a disabled access toilet.
But Mr O’Hara says the project, which was due to be completed by last November, has been beset by delays.
“Work was as good as at a standstill for months. It was promises, promises, nothing nothing,” the principal said in reference to Nautic.
He alleged many sub-contractors were not being paid, and as a consequence did not complete work on the site.
Jason Quirke, a director of Nautic, did not return a request for comment.
“I don’t hold any blame at the sub-contractors’ door at all. These are the ones who are most grievously caught. We have a building which will be finished, their livelihood is damaged by what has happened,” Mr O’Hara added.
He said he’s hopeful a new builder will come on board in the coming weeks.
“Then we could get a new contract in place and put a serious burst of energy and effort into completing what needs to be completed,” he added.
As things stand, the extension is complete up to the installation of windows and doors after the school was able to pay sub-contractors directly to do some work following Nautic’s demise.
The principal said the liquidation of the firm - with the loss of approximately 30 jobs - is “unfortunate.”
He added it’s “doubly unfortunate” when it involves a school.
“It’s different if its a road or a bridge, but a school is such a pivotal part of the community and it has a far greater effect,” he added.
Mr O’Hara paid tribute to students, staff and their families for their patience amid the delays which have seen classes take place in prefabs.
Nautic worked on a huge range of schemes locally, including the 60-bed block in University Hospital Limerick and the Gate Lodge at Adare Manor.