Amazement as Mayo companies excluded from Charlestown development

Amazement as Mayo companies excluded from Charlestown development


Michael Commins

AMAZEMENT has been expressed by Sinn Fein County Councillor Gerry Murray with the news that not one Mayo company managed to get on the short-list for the €3 million development of Park View estate in Charlestown.
A number of prominent Mayo firms submitted tenders for the project but none of them made it through to the short-list. There has been a genuine sense of astonishment among those involved in the construction business that none of them was deemed fit by the panel to proceed to the short-list stage.
Now, Cllr Murray has called for a major review of Public Procurement procedures following the failure of any company from the region to make it to the tendering stage. He said he was shocked to learn that many reputable Mayo-based companies were eliminated at the ’expression of interest’ stage despite the fact that they had a proven track record in the roll out of similar projects across the county.
Cllr Murray said: “Public procurement procedures and regulations are now becoming so complicated and intricate that it’s virtually impossible for small local companies to meet the criteria that is being laid down by both the Irish Government and the EU.
“Far from delivering value for money and competition, the system is now creating small golden circles who will soon have a virtual monopoly when it comes to tendering for both minor and major public works. Does the Government really believe that in such circumstances the taxpayer will be getting value for money?
“Over the last year I have been contacted by numerous companies in the county who are totally frustrated with the way the EU and the Government are managing the whole area of Public Procurement. The net result is a loss of much needed jobs and investment across Mayo.
“It is incredible really to think that high profile companies in Mayo have been deemed not fit to carry out this development in Charlestown. It involves the demolition of a few houses, and refurbishment of some other houses and related matters. Some of these good solid Mayo companies have been around the block over the years and I have never heard any complaint against them regarding their work or finances. What is happening now with the new system is no advantage to the local area at all.
“Many companies have also expressed total disillusionment with IBEC and ISME and feel that those two organizations have quite simply pandered to the agenda of the golden circles that are now coming to monopolise all areas of public contracts.
“While Fine Gael and Labour have been calling for major public sector reform they have totally ignored the way the taxpayer is being ripped off via the current methods of Public Procurement and have refused to back Sinn Fein’s calls for a major review”.
Cllr Murray said the ongoing situation is completely unacceptable and is resulting in the loss of much need contracts and jobs to the county.