Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday, the Minister told the Joint Committee on Education and Skills that clerks of works were on site. To make it absolutely clear to people viewing these proceedings, clerks of works do not check safety, as the Minister confirmed today. As we speak, therefore, we are putting thousands of children into buildings for five or six hours a day and hundreds of employees, yet we do not have a policy where any of the work has been checked.

Today, the Minister spoke about unacceptable working standards, which almost implies that the bricklayers may be to blame. This is a policy decision by the Department of Education and Skills and successive Governments, ranging from Fianna Fáil-led Governments to the current and previous Governments, to have bottom-feeder companies that build at the cheapest rate. The company in question has 45 employees officially on its books but is able to build 20 schools, modular housing and hospitals. This is incredible. Three years ago, despite findings of unacceptable fire safety standards in Rush and Lusk Educate Together school, the company was allowed to continue regardless.

The Minister announced that he will establish an investigation. Will he have a criminal investigation? Will he contact the Garda Síochána about this? It is surely a crime to build without any regard for basic safety. Could we have had a Grenfell Towers-type scenario involving children in this State? Is that what we are talking about? If so, the Garda should be called in rather than just having an inquiry that may examine some specific matters.

Why is WBS such a favoured company with the Department of Education and Skills? Many of the other companies that are doing projects for this Department seem to be based outside the State and are able to undercut other companies by up to 30%. We have to assume that the reason they are able to do this is that they are driving workers down from the North, many of whom are probably claiming welfare payments in Northern Ireland. This is the belief of building workers here who cannot get decent employment with these companies. That is, as is well known, a policy of previous Ministers.

The point was made that politicians were very eager to announce new school buildings. They were certainly eager to do so in Dublin West, Dublin Mid-West and Dublin Fingal. In areas of high population growth, houses were thrown up and people had to clamour to get schools built. For elections and so on, it was very important to announce new school buildings. In the rush to do that, safety was secondary and profits and cost were the priority.

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