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

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I acknowledge the additional people working in the economy. I am talking about when a client, be it the State or a private client, hires a main contractor. At the moment, some of those are going into liquidation. Unfortunately, many seem to be coming from Northern Ireland, from the trend I have observed. The subcontractor, which is a smaller outfit, is then left high and dry for the money. That is the big problem. I acknowledge the great work of Feargal Quinn. Given time, the then Government brought it in. However, subcontractors need a certificate and it is only after the event that they can try to go to court. It is not much good if the main contractor has gone into liquidation. I welcome that the Taoiseach is open to reviewing this again. I am proposing that before the main client, whether the State or the client who is building something privately, pays the main contractor, there should be some type of certification that the subcontractors on the site have signed to make sure that their payments are kept up to date.

We have seen significant fallout from what happened with Roadbridge over the past six or eight months. Smaller subcontractors are being put to the wall because they cannot withstand the hit that they must take by not getting paid, whether for a month or two months. Generally, it runs to three months. If they have machines or people hired for different work, the figure builds up. Subcontractors do not have the capacity to withstand the belt from that. It is okay for whoever has gone into liquidation. They are a different story.

However, these people have to face everything and try to survive it, which is impossible. I welcome what the Taoiseach said about being open to reviewing it.

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