Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Socialist Party) | Oireachtas source

Last year's J.J. Rhatigan dispute, which lasted over six months, brought to public attention the reality of life for construction workers under the so-called recovery. These skilled workers, thanks to a system of subcontracting and bogus self-employment, even if they do not want to be self-employed, are forced to live on an income that does not meet the rates provided for in the registered employment agreements, but, more importantly, does not even meet the minimum wage requirements.

It is not only the case that construction companies are profiting from exploiting workers; it is also the case that State is facilitating that, and, in so doing, depriving the Exchequer of funds that one would think we would be killing ourselves to bring in. We have seen it in the Department of Education and Skills, in particular, with many school contracts being awarded to construction companies that operate these systems. Thanks to the Construction Workers' Alliance, a number of questions have been tabled by Deputies, which revealed that workers earn so little that they are not liable to pay the RCT and receive rebates, resulting in negative returns for the Exchequer to the tune of €100 million from 2008 to 2014, inclusive.

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