DUBLIN CITY Council is seeking the payment of a €3 million debt owed by the Dublin Docklands Development Authority for the construction of the Samuel Beckett Bridge.
The bridge, designed by internationally renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, spans the river Liffey from Sir John Rogerson’s Quay near Macken Street on the south side. to Guild Street at the site of the Convention Centre Dublin on the north side.
It has been open to traffic since December 2009, but the council said the Docklands authority had still not paid off its share of the construction costs.
The bridge cost €60 million to build, €10 million of which the Docklands authority agreed to fund, the council said. The final €3 million has been outstanding since September 2009. The council has continued to pursue the debt, but with no success to date.
Local Labour TD Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East) said he believed the Docklands authority did not have the money and another method of compensating the council should be sought.
“I don’t think they have a brass farthing. They should look at making a transfer of property to Dublin City Council to make up the outstanding amount.”
There was still a considerable need for social housing in the area which could be met by such a transfer, Mr Humphreys said.
“If the council could have a site, or property suitable for social housing that would be relatively equivalent to the cash owed, that would probably be the best outcome at this stage.”
Fine Gael councillor Ruairí McGinley, who sits on the council’s finance committee, said either the Docklands authority should pay its debts or the Department of the Environment should pay on its behalf.
“This bridge was built on time and under budget,” he said. “The money has been due for 2½ years. It’s a significant amount of money and I want to see the payment of it prioritised.”
Mr McGinley said he was concerned that if the debt was not repaid soon, it would go into abeyance and never be paid. There has been speculation that the Docklands authority may be disbanded by Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan.
“The Department of the Environment created the Docklands authority and ultimately, if the authority won’t pay, the department has to take responsibility for the debt,” Mr McGinley said.
The Docklands authority did not respond to queries on the matter.
