An Ennis auctioneer received nearly €250,000 in fees from Clare County Council last year for negotiating compulsory purchase orders with landowners on the route of the €190-million Ennis bypass.
Records released through the Freedom of Information Act yesterday show that Paddy Browne and Co Auctioneers received €242,261 for negotiating CPO agreements with landowners along the 21-km route.
Mr Browne's firm got €315,395 in total from the council for work carried out in 2004. In all, the council paid €5.85 million to 113 consultants, up 24 per cent on the €4.71 million which consultants received in 2003.
Consulting engineering firms providing services on capital projects in Clare were paid most. Companies involved in developing the €27-million Cliffs of Moher visitor centre also continue to receive large sums.
Two companies received between €500,000 and €1 million, while 12 companies were paid between €100,000 and €500,000.
The biggest recipients were consultant engineers RPS MCOS, paid €847,276; Jacobs Babtie, €501,650; and John D Barry, €321,826. Dermot and Seán Merry Architects received €243,707 - €102,037 of which was for designing an emergency Traveller halting site.
Last year a further €706,000 was paid to consultants working on the Cliffs of Moher project. The centre's architects, Cork-based Reddy O'Riordan Staehli, have received €603,000from the council.
Independent and Green councillors expressed concern yesterday about the scale and rise in consultant payments.
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