Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps or checks his Department carry out to ensure that all contractors, including sub-contractors employed by the main contractor, working directly for his Department on a school building project are REA compliant; the steps he has taken to address the situation at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which was recently brought to his attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13889/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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All major school building contracts include a clause specifying the payment of the appropriate Registered Employment Agreement rates of Pay and Conditions of Employment. This is a standard clause in the Public Works Contracts.

My Department is continually seeking ways of improving the effectiveness of the delivery of the school building programme particularly in the area of compliance. This includes seeking to improve existing processes for assessing potential risks and verifying compliance with regard to pay and conditions on school building projects. My Department has provided detailed guidance on the duties and obligations in relation to pay and conditions of employment on school building projects as part of the Department's Design Team Procedures.

My Department has recently received correspondence from a Trades Union alleging non-adherence to REA provisions by a named sub-contractor on the project to which the Deputy refers. In accordance with my Department's Design Team Procedures the Employers Representative, in this case the Project Manager, has been requested by my Department to liaise with the main contractor to determine the facts of the case.

My Department is currently reviewing the situation. When that review is complete, my Department will determine the appropriate actions to be taken, including, if necessary, referral to the appropriate statutory industrial relations bodies.