CIF Says Government Delay on the Construction Bill costing Jobs.

The Government’s foot dragging on passing the Construction Contracts Bill is resulting in job losses on a daily basis according to the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).  The CIF made their accusation after it emerged that the legislation which will help ease the process of payments within the industry may be further delayed until next year. 

The Government had originally told the CIF that the legislation would be enacted by September 2011 and then by the end of 2011.  Further promises were made that it would be passed into law before the summer recess this year.  The latest information is that the Government will not be moving the legislation to Committee Stage until January 2013 with no enactment date currently in sight.

“The Government has to stop long fingering this legislation and get it enacted as soon as possible,” said Tom Parlon, CIF Director General.  “This is a piece of legislation that will have huge ramifications for the construction industry in this country, an industry that the Government is all too aware is struggling at present.

“Foot dragging by the Government on this legislation is costing jobs on a daily basis.  The whole purpose of this Bill is to ensure all contractors and subcontractors receive a proper and prompt payment.  But the progression of this Bill by the Government has been far from prompt.  While the Government stands still subcontractors are being put out of business.  Construction businesses are being destroyed and jobs are being lost.

“The most bewildering aspect of this is that the legislation has cross party support.  There are no major hurdles for the Government to overcome.  It has already been passed by the Seanad and now all we need is the Government to press ahead with bringing forward the Committee Stage amendments and progress with turning the Bill into an Act.

“There is unanimous concern in all sections of the construction industry that this legislation will be further delayed.  Every type of construction company has been impacted by the delay in passing this Bill.

“Our industry has enough problems without the Government making things worse by mothballing a strongly supported piece of legislation which all parties promised to pass in their various manifestos ahead of the last General Election and which is also amongst the commitments made in the Programme for Government.  All the Government has to do to clear this problem is to bring forward the Bill without further delay,” Mr. Parlon concluded.

For further information contact Jimmy Healy, CIF – 01 4066095/ 087 6479104