Deputy Conlan Calls For The Immediate Passing Of The Construction Contracts Bill

Deputy Sean Conlan has called for the Construction Contracts Bill to be passed into law as quickly as possible in light of a number of announcements regarding Government investment in the construction industry.

The Bill aims to regulate payments in the construction industry. Deputy Conlan hopes that the proposed legislation will improve payment practices within the industry and will particularly provide some much needed protection for sub-contractors. Deputy Conlan said that “sub-contractors have borne the brunt of the collapse of the construction industry and they are often not paid when the primary contractor goes bust, indeed many I have met and spoken with are now in debt despite evidence that the primary contractor has been paid in full. I spoke on the matter last summer in the Dail and called for the immediate introduction of a regular payments system. The reprehensible behaviour of some of the larger construction firms must be stamped out as soon as possible and the Government needs to implement the proposed measures before it awards any further contracts to such firms. The culture of misusing sub-contractors which prevailed and thrived during the boom must not be allowed to continue”.

Deputy Conlan went on to say that “it is extremely welcome that the Government has committed to increase its spend on the construction industry, beginning with the €150 million investment package that was announced last month which will be used to build new schools, carryout road repairs and complete energy efficient projects.”