Speaking following an emergency meeting of the St. Michael’s Regeneration Board, which was held after the building contractors at St. Michael’s Estate were asked to leave the site due to health and safety issues, Fine Gael Councillor, Clare Byrne, said the situation is very disappointing and that the new tendering process must be carried out as quickly as possible so that the project can be resumed without delay.

"The regeneration of St. Michael's Estate is already behind schedule. The building contractors have now been given ten days to leave the site, owing to issues relating to health and safety. This is a serious setback and will have everyone concerned feeling as though the project is now back to square one.

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"Without question, health and safety must always be a top priority, not just on St. Michael's Estate but on all building sites. Nonetheless this development will be seen as a major blow to the area.

"It is essential that the new tendering process is now carried out as quickly as possible so that we can get the regeneration of St. Michael’s back on track. It is my understanding that the process can take anywhere from eight weeks to five months which is certainly not ideal.

"Contractors must be in full compliance with health and safety standards and the issuing of a termination contract by Dublin City Council to the contractors involved represents an extraordinary turn of events which generally only occurs due to liquidation, slow progress or owing to health and safety concerns.

"The company concerned has, at no point, acknowledged the seriousness of the concerns raised by DCC and have ignored all warnings and formal written instructions. This development now also means we have no guarantee in respect of the standard of work complete to date on site which in itself is extremely worrying."

(CD/GK)