Construction workers mount major protest

Construction workers have mounted a demonstration outside the Department of Justice in Dublin in protest at the Government's failure to enforce laws on pension schemes.

The workers said the Government had taken no action whatsoever over the failure of certain companies to enrol their workers in a pension scheme.

Union spokesman Mick Finnegan said: "There are thousands of building workers who aren't being registered in a mandatory pension scheme.

"That means they lose sick pay, they lose pensions and, in the case of deaths either from accidents on site or natural causes, the families are deprived of the death grant, which can be €35,000 to €40,000."