Dáil debates

Tuesday, 14 December 2021

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

2:50 pm

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach paints a picture of a perfect storm. We saw this coming over the past 12 months and the Government and its advisers must have seen it too, because it is crippling. There is a huge delay with people working from home in getting the tenders out, getting documents back to schools and builders and all of that. Contractors are tendering in good faith and we need them now to engage the new apprentices we are taking on in Thurles and elsewhere, who are badly needed in the construction industry. If the builders cannot stay above water level, they are in trouble and they will get no mercy from Revenue and less from the banks. We need to deal with this seriously and we are coming late to the table. This storm has been brewing and it is a hurricane now. We have no red alerts about it. People are going to the wall and projects cannot be finished, with knock-on effects on subcontractors and suppliers, all of whom are local. Most of these people spend money locally in their own 25-mile radius. They have track records in supplying, building and delivering the best projects on time. They want to do that again.

I did not catch the figure the Taoiseach cited for the reduction in fixed-price tenders. Are they down to 24 months? That is way too long. Did he say they are down from 30 months to 24 months? We cannot have a fixed tender for 24 months. It cannot be done. It can hardly be done now for eight weeks because the situation is so serious with prices going up by the week.

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