Complaints over four school building projects
The complaints have been made through a system set up by the department last year to tackle issues and concerns about rates of pay, tax avoidance and other matters arising in relation to large schools and capital works it is funding.
In its nine months of operation last year, complaints were received in relation to 22 sites and 13 of those were subsequently audited for the Department of Education by its consultants Contractors Administration Services (CAS).
A spokesperson told the Irish Examiner a number of complaints have been received this year, in respect of each of four department-backed building projects it is funding. “CAS is doing a full monitoring service in respect of one of the projects,” she said. “In respect of the other three, CAS was not requested to carry out audits as another state agency confirmed it was looking at these projects.
“Most of the complaints being received are in relation to payment of registered employment agreement [REA] rates and access for trade union officials to building sites,” the spokesperson said.
If any irregularities are found following an audit by CAS, the department said they would be forwarded to the National Employment Rights Authority (NERA), Revenue Commissioners and the Department of Social Protection, as appropriate.
The figures emerge as CAS continues its examination of a complaint about work at the site in Lucan, Co Dublin, where the new Kishoge Community School is being built for the Department of Education. A picket was placed on the site yesterday by Unite members who claim they have not been paid in four weeks and proper REA rates were not being paid to bricklayers.
Unite official Tom Fitzgerald said that, despite the introduction of the auditing system by the department, it must do more to monitor compliance with employment and other regulations on projects it is funding.
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