Murray O Laoire collapse 'should inject urgency into tackling crisis in building'
THE announcement that acclaimed architect firm Murray Ó Laoire is going into liquidation should inject a sense of urgency into tackling the crisis in the construction industry, the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) has said.
Conor O'Connell, executive of the CIF, said five times as many jobs had been lost in the construction sector in the Mid-West than were lost through the closure of manufacturing at Dell in Limerick.
Mr O'Connell said the number of jobs in the sector locally had fallen from a peak of 26,000 to less than 10,000, but the problem appeared to be largely ignored.
"That is (the equivalent) of four to five Dells that have gone from the region in the last two to three years without any publicity. We're very concerned. It just seems the industry is being left to shut down," said Mr O'Connell.
Many local architects have expressed shock and disappointment at the announcement by the firm, which has accumulated a litany of awards for its work over the past three decades and was behind the award-winning redesign of Thomond Park.
"It's a very sad day for our profession, and it's a sad day for Limerick," said architect Dee Maguire of EML Architects, Cruises Street, Limerick.
"They raised the bar for everyone and brought a level of design and architectural professionalism to our profession that was second to none," said Mr Maguire.
The Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI) estimates that more than 50 per cent of all registered architects in the State are now out of work.
Mr Maguire said most architects would have a healthy rivalry between each other, but "this just hits everyone. We are all going around in a state of shock. It's not just the directors, but all the staff, they're all wonderful people".
Co-founder Sean O Laoire was a tutor to architect Michael Healy in Bolton Street in Dublin in the late 1970s. At their request, Mr Healy joined the "young guns" and spent "10 happy years" with Murray O'Laoire, becoming a first associate director in the early days of the firm.
"It was a challenge, and it was stimulating. I admired their philosophy to architecture. Hugh is a proud Limerick man and was the first to suggest that buildings should not turn their back on the River Shannon, and subsequently people have listened. Their work in creating good architecture was exemplary," said Mr Healy.
He left the firm for Paris and set up Healy & Partners architects in 1989, but said he always "watched and admired them."
In announcing the move towards liquidation, the company wished to acknowledge the "enormous contribution" of their "wonderful, talented and tremendously loyal staff", as well as many other associates. Some 28 staff work in its Limerick office, among a total of 127 employees.
Co-founder Hugh Murray, a brother of local State solicitor Michael Murray, is in charge of the Limerick office. Three of the firm’s directors are also Limerick based – financial controller Michael Foley; architect Hugh Kelly, and architect Kevin Jackson.
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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