Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, I declare that I have an interest in a family plant hire firm. The programme for Government states that, as far as possible, we are to create and protect jobs. However, principal contractors are going bust and leaving many subcontractors without payments which were due. That means they go out of business in turn. It seems continuously to happen that after a few months the principal contractor is back in business again while the small fellow is buried forever. This Government and its predecessor promised they would do something about that and introduce regulations to ensure that fair play was meted out to subcontractors. It is not happening, however, and principal contractors are continuing to abuse the system. What is the Government going to do about it?

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