Terry Brennan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It was amazing to hear Senator Quinn say that 1,168 days - perhaps we are close to 1,169 by now - have passed since this Bill was introduced. Seán Gallagher brought these issues to my attention when I was serving as a local councillor on Louth County Council. He was very concerned. As has been said, Senator Quinn was the only person up here who took on Mr. Gallagher's idea.

This Bill delivers on a commitment in the programme for Government to introduce new legislation to protect all small building contractors who have been denied payments from bigger companies. As Senator Landy has said, it will give great comfort to small contractors. I hope they will receive the payments they have been due for a long time. The failure to make payments has a domino effect on contractors and subcontractors, but it is the small contractor who is the first to be left out. We all have experience of small contracts in our respective areas. It is unfortunate that small contractors have gone out of business because they have not been paid.

Local authorities do not pay contractors quickly enough and I am aware of contractors who are awaiting payment. While the Office of Public Works has improved in this regard, it still waits until the last minute to make payment. Money must circulate in the economy. Small contractors are waiting for much too long and I hope the legislation will ensure they are paid much sooner.

I congratulate my colleague, Senator Feargal Quinn, on his Bill, which is an example of what can be achieved in this House provided one is patient. This was one of the first Bills introduced in the new Seanad which I joined two years ago. It is great that this worthwhile legislation has reached this stage. I also congratulate the Minister of State and everyone else concerned.