Building Schools and Colleges Conference hosted by Mason Hayes and Curran

November 2024

Stephen was delighted to be asked by Mason Hayes and Curran to be part of the panel for their Building Schools and Colleges Conference in Athlone on 4 November 2025. The panel of expert speakers gave practical advice on procurement and contract administration, clarified the role of the client and contract administrator in construction projects and looked at strategies to avoid disputes and what to do when they happen.

Stephen joined a panel to discuss Dispute Avoidance and Dispute Resolution. Over the past 25 years Stephen has been called on to act as an expert in many disputes and shared some insights into the role of an expert. The team from Mason Hayes and Curran, Stephen and other expert speakers shared some insights on disputes they had worked on and how resolutions can be achieved.

Stephen shared some of his experiences on recurring problems with school building projects and in particular, the common problems that arise with roofs and water ingress. A telling statistic is that over 50% of the school projects that Stephen has been asked to investigate relate to defective and leaking roofs.

Key Takeaways included

• It's essential that all stakeholders have a clear understanding of the projects scope and individual responsibilities to ensure a smooth construction process.

• If a dispute arises, maintaining open lines of communication is key to achieving a quicker resolution.

• Managing a school or college is already a complex task, finances are challenging so early intervention leads to better outcomes and less disruption to the student and their teachers.

• A proper roof maintenance regime is essential to maintain roofing guarantees or warranties. Check your building Safety File which should contain your obligations for roof maintenance.

  
  

A very informative morning for all involved.