Wexford is to get its long awaited €40m county hall and a €20 million civic square in Gorey after all.

However, the projects are now expected to be completed by the local county council, following the collapse of Pierse Contracting with a liquidator this month appointed to Pierse Contracting and Pierse Building Services by the High Court as the group had a deficit of €212m.

The firm began work on the new Wexford county hall in early 2008 and was due to complete the landmark building overlooking the Slaney in mid-2009.

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However, the 10,500sq m (108,000sq ft) building - designed by NORD Architecture - was in grave doubt and it was feared that the iconic design, providing space for a new council chamber, a double-glazed 'skin' providing natural ventilation, a staff restaurant, executive tea rooms and an internal 'street' with sweeping views of the river wasn't ever going to be finished.

The project, which is now understood to be structurally complete, has still to be fitted out internally.

The new civic square in Gorey also saw work begin several ytears ago - in August 2007 - and was due to be completed by December 2008.

That scheme included a new town square with offices for the county and town councils, a public library, courthouse, adult education centre, health service units and a small number of apartments, many of which were for the elderly.

While the new courthouse and adult education centre have opened, the civic offices, the apartments and the library have not.

Wexford County Council will now complete the projects by paying for the work.

(BMcC/GK)