This article is from page 7 of the 2008-07-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 7 JPG
THE deposit for the purchase of the €1.4 million Inis Cathaigh site in Kilrush has not yet been paid by the local authority.
In answers to a series of questions posed by Cllr Marian McMahon Jones (FG) relating to the purchase of the controversial site for new civic buildings, Kilrush Town Manager, Bernadette Kinsella said the council must first wait for the legal formall- ties to be completed.
“As is standard in property con- veyancing practice the acquisition is subject to contract and the legal formalities/checks are currently in train,’ she said.
These aspects are being dealt with by Clare County Council’s legal ad- visor, John Shaw of Michael Houli- han and Partners, Ennis.
The town manager said that work began on locating possible sites as far back as 13 years ago, and “some 17 sites in all have been considered by various administrations over the years’.
Those included were new build, greenfield and brownfield sites, re- furbishmet and lease buy options.
“More recently multiple possible options were narrowed down to four. The decision on the Inis Cathaigh site was made after having received
full professional feasibility and fi- nancial advice in various options at the following four different locations – Place de Plouzane, land at the rear of Pound Street, lease purchase op- tion and the Inis Cathaigh site.”
“The decision to purchase the site for a sum of €1.4 million was tak- en in May by the managers of both council’s following due consideration of the professional advice received. This is normal practice in local au- thority land acquisition. You will ap- preciate that for transactions of this nature it would not be appropriate to have discussions with individual members in advance,” she said.
The offer on the .49 acres Inis Ca- thaigh site was made on behalf of the council by valuer Paddy Browne and Associates.
Ms Kinsella said that she has no data available that corresponds with an offer of “7,000 square feet for €1.6 million at Quay Mills’, bought up by Cllr McMahon Jones.
“A lease buyout option was one of which professional advice was received. In considering the rela- tive merit of a lease buy out option, pricing and space data was provided by the developer of Quay Mills and clarification of the data provided was sought and received by our agent in respect of a lease buyout option at that location,’ she said.