Hard hats are once again in Galway city centre this week as a new contractor moved into Eyre Square to complete a controversial multi-million euro redevelopment.
SIAC Construction began setting up equipment on site yesterday, and Galway City Council expects work will begin in earnest on Monday. It says the firm will complete the project in six months.
No figure for the new contract has been released by the council, but it is expected to be above the €9 million quoted for the scheme before the original contractor, Samuel Kingston Construction, quit the site on June 27th.
Fine Gael councillor Pádraig Conneely said he would be looking for detailed information on the costs. He believed the cost would reach €11 million.
"I also want to know at what stage sign-off negotiations have taken place with Samuel Kingston Construction Ltd and what financial agreements may have been entered into with that firm."
The council says it is still in legal negotiations with the original contractor and will release a schedule and cost of works in "the coming weeks".
Mr Conneely said yesterday the Oireachtas Committee of Public Accounts had agreed to put the Eyre Square issue on the agenda for its next meeting, and he welcomed this.
SIAC Construction Ltd is one of Ireland's leading construction firms. It has undertaken several urban renewal schemes over the past three years, including the redevelopment of Dublin's O'Connell Street.