Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Taoiseach is well aware of the housing situation and the construction sector around the country. There is a dire need to get work done and to get houses built. I know the Government is bringing Bills forward in the coming weeks. Regarding the construction sector, I acknowledge the Minister, Deputy McGrath, revised figures for what we would call Government jobs that contractors would do, but there is a serious problem around the country where houses are being built and other works that are not Government-related are ongoing and the price of materials and of doing the job has gone up. Battles are going on. Looking at the statistics, the number of companies ceasing business or going into liquidation is worrying. The Taoiseach saw earlier this year what happened to one of our biggest road contractors, Roadbridge. We see this week after week, especially in the Dublin area. Unfortunately, many of the companies that are ceasing are from Northern Ireland. The big problem is that smaller subcontractors, whether brickie or a person with excavators to do groundwork or people who do other phases of work, are being left high and dry. This has a knock-on effect on those subcontractors. In fairness to him, former Senator, Feargal Quinn, tabled a Bill that required a certificate which contractors could later go into court with.

We have to try to nip this in the bud. If a client employs a main contractor, the subcontractor that works for the client should have a signature or certification before the client gives the main contractor the money to make sure that subcontractor is paid. I know the Taoiseach will move positions in the next week. I do not know where he will go. Whether he has the trade portfolio, or in whatever part of government this is required, I ask that a regulation or legislation be brought in so that where the client is paying the main contractor, there is a certification system so that every subcontractor is paid on-site. It is not complicated. Revenue has all the details of any subcontractor that works on-site. It is not a long list to have to go through. I urge Government to do this because there are many small employers that have two, three or four people working for them and they are being left high and dry. It will put them to the wall. Will the Government look at that in the coming months?

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