Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We would hope that those lessons are learned. My final questions concern social and environmental clauses in terms of public procurement. How much leeway have we about including these clauses in terms of EU Single Market rules?

We have had some discussion on the environmental and green elements that are being incorporated into contracts but very little discussion on the social element. As a public representative, workers who are working on small and large projects that are part of Government or State contracts have complained to me that they are not receiving the proper rate for the job and do not get an overtime payment or proper holiday pay. Some of these workers are on bogus self-employment even though they are employers or employees. They have asked me why has all of this has happened when it is a public contract. Have we been weak in terms of doing that? Have we less control in terms of putting in the workers' rights element? For example, the need for more apprenticeships, ensuring that they are targeted at disadvantaged groups, ensuring that the rate for the job is paid in terms of the established trade rates, ensuring that there is proper holiday pay and ensuring that there is no bogus self-employment. What is the situation? Why is this going on? This situation has pertained for as long as I have been around and has gone on for years.