On 2 March, Tralee Circuit Criminal Court heard that Ellickson Engineering's installation for the refuge space safety system in the inspection pit at the bottom of the lift shaft failed to include critical components required to ensure a safe minimum space between the base of the lift and the pit. The lift could have crushed anyone in the pit carrying out maintenance work.
The omission came to light when the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) investigated a lift failure on 9 July 2011 that dropped five hotel guests about 5.85 m to the hotel's basement level.
The HSA found Ellickson Engineering had installed the lift at Killarney Plaza Hotel in 2004.
The firm, which is in receivership was found guilty of a charge under section 10 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989.
Brian Higgisson, HSA assistant chief executive, said: "All lifts when installed must have the required safety features included and those with the responsibility for the installation process must ensure that this is the case. The consequences of failing in this duty, as we have seen, can be extremely serious."