by Alan Jacques
CONSTRUCTION on a new Limerick city courthouse at Mulgrave Street is expected to begin later this year following the announcement that a preferred tenderer — BAM, PPP, PGGM — has been selected.
The project will deliver a state-of-the-art court facility in the heart of the city and is part of a wider €1.4 billion stimulus plan that is delivering important infrastructure across the country through the public/private partnership model.
A new criminal courthouse is to be built on a site adjacent to Limerick Prison on Mulgrave Street, to include six courtrooms, custody facilities, court offices and associated facilities.
Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan said she was pleased to see substantial progress in delivering this important project.
“This project will provide a significant number of jobs in construction over the coming months and also provide the City with a modern courthouse,” she added.
BAM PPP PGGM has been selected as the preferred tenderer for major work to be completed on courthouses. Under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, the courthouses will be designed, built, financed and maintained for 25 years by BAM PPP PGGM.
Construction is expected to start in November and finish by November 2017.
Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald acknowledged the cooperation of all those involved in bringing the project to this stage, in particular, the Courts Service, the Office of the Public Works (OPW) as well as the staff of National Development Finance Agency who are responsible for the procurement and delivery of the Courts Bundle PPP Project.
“I am delighted that we have reached the stage of identifying a preferred tenderer to undertake this important work which will provide modern and comfortable facilities for all users of the courts. This is an ambitious programme which will ensure that facilities will comply with modern standards for court accommodation and that the needs of all users of our courts will be met,” she said.
