GALWAY SENATOR AND TRADESMAN TO IRON OUT DIFFERENCES

Date Published: 08-Mar-2012

A Judge has ruled that both parties in a legal battle over alleged non payment of works at the home of Galway Senator Fidelma Healy Eames must iron out their differences or else have the case heard before him in May.

Oranmore tradesman, Michael Allen claims he is owed just under 23 thousand euros by Mrs Healy Eames and her husband Michael, for plumbing work carried out at an extension to the Healy-Eames home in Maree, Oranmore.

Mr Allen first took an action against Senator Healy-Eames and her husband in June 2010 when he sued them for almost 36 thousand euro.

He received €13,000 from the couple but claims he is still owed just under € 23,000.Senator Healy-Eames strongly rejects the claims made by Mr Allen.

In 2007, Senator Healy-Eames and her husband applied for planning permission to knock their home in Maree, Oranmore and build a new house in its place.

Original plans for an adjacent garage were extended during the construction phase to include a 400 square foot meeting room.

On the direction of Judge Gerald Keys at Galway Circuit Civil Court yesterday, barristers for both sides held meetings with their respective engineers and tried to agree the costs of items of contention in relation to Mr Allen’s claim.

When both sides failed to reach agreement, Judge Keys directed that both parties and their engineers meet on site to agree the work carried out, its value, the outstanding works to be carried out, the value of those, and any alleged remedial works carried out and its value after Mr Allen repudiated his contract agreement and walked off site in November, 2009.

Judge Keys directed that both sides exchange their engineers’ reports before April 20 next and he gave both sides until May 3 when the matter will again be listed before the court, to either resolve their differences or go to full hearing.