Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes, the constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny is ours - it belongs to the Chairman and me. It is important to clarify that.

The situation is unacceptable. The hardest thing today is to hear the stories of the witnesses and the reality of what is happening to our own people who have done the work. My biggest issue is the fact that the witnesses are here crying and looking for something they deserve, that they have worked for. They are coming to beg from the Government today for something they have done. That is unacceptable in the sense that they are now all under pressure. Families are feeling it. We have heard the stories today. I commend the witnesses on their bravery. They should not have to come here.

Mr. Miley referred to me. I addressed the Minister for Education and Skills twice on this in the Seanad and I got nowhere. I sent the replies back to the contractors with whom I was dealing in Carlow. The Minister led us all to believe that this was not in his remit and that he could not interfere. That is unacceptable. The Government must step in and address the issue because we need to make sure the subcontractors are paid. We need to make sure that their family lives are brought back to normal.

It is like what previous speakers said. When someone hears of a PPP and it is Government, they feel they are guaranteed their funding. That has always been the way. One will be paid if it is a Government contract but that has not happened here. Have the witnesses set up a group because I know there have been different meetings? I know we had the meetings in Carlow. Before we meet again, and we need to meet again, the witnesses should get a proper group together. They know the old saying. The more they stand together, the more meetings subcontractors hold and the more they get a group together to fight this, the better. They cannot do without this money and it is unacceptable. The witnesses should get a group together from here and work through this committee and all of us because I am here to give them 100% support. I think it is unacceptable in 2018. I have to say this because every day in the Seanad, we hear about how funding is there, the country is on track and building is back but if we cannot pay our own subcontractors, what are we doing? We need to address this. The Minister needs to be brought here. He would not have a meeting. I think he needs to have a meeting with the witnesses. Perhaps we could arrange it either through the Seanad or Dáil. We need to get the Minister in. The Minister needs to be accountable. Funding needs to be set up for subcontractors so that they get their money and their lives get back on track.

Regarding certification, the witnesses know that if they apply for another job, they must pay their taxes and have their certificate. How can they do it when they are not getting money from the Government, yet it wants them to pay taxes to Revenue? This does not add up. I am asking for a meeting with the Minister and that the subcontractors get together and form a proper group. Whatever road we have to take to fight this, I will give them 100% support. I thank the witnesses for coming before us today because it was very brave to come in here to a finance committee and tell it what is happening; this is the reality and the Minister and Government need to hear it and wake up.