Building industry hands time-bomb to workers

THE Government routinely warns us of the pensions time-bomb and many measures are under consideration to promote worker participation in pension schemes.

Yet the Pensions Ombudsman has recently warned that up to 130,000 workers in the construction industry are ineligible for pensions, sick pay, unemployment benefit, etc, because their employers are failing to make PRSI contributions on their behalf.

The construction industry has been a major beneficiary of the Celtic Tiger economy, as well as benefiting from most of the Government’s tax-based investment schemes.