Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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116. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation when the necessary appointments will be made to the panel of adjudicators to facilitate the operation of the Construction Contracts Act 2013; his views on the impact the legislation will have; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44348/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The Construction Contracts Act, enacted last year seeks to ensure prompt payment practices throughout the construction industry. It is intended that the legislation will in the future provide easier access to payment for contractors who have carried out work.

The commencement of the Construction Contracts Act 2013 is dependent on a number of factors contained within the legislation itself. These factors include the appointment of a Chairperson and Panel of Adjudicators by the Minister, and the drafting and publication of a code of practice for the conduct of adjudications, which will be binding on all adjudicators operating under the Act, not just those appointed to cases by the Chair of the Adjudication panel.

Work on these items, and the required consultation with industry, is ongoing. My Department is working with the Public Appointments Service to develop the parameters for an open competition for those wishing to apply for a place on the Panel of Adjudicators. In addition, a draft version of the Code of Practice has been prepared in consultation with industry, which I hope will be finalised shortly.

It is expected that the Act will be implemented in full by Spring of next year. A specific date of implementation for the Act, and details of the various stages leading up to that implementation will be announced in advance once those details have been finalised, to provide sufficient notice to those affected by the Act's provisions.