Protection sought from council for contractors

CLARE County Council has been asked to put in conditions for major contractors that would help safeguard sub-contractors. A motion to this effect came before the October meeting of Clare County Council.
Earlier this year a spokesman for Galway firm Conrock Ltd told The Clare Champion they had been left €60,000 short after twice carrying out works for contractors who went out of business.
The spokesman said, “On two separate occasions, Clare County Council entered into contracts with two different building contractors, who subsequently turned out to have inadequate financial backing to complete the projects for which they had been commissioned. Not only is this a gross mishandling of scarce public funds but it has also resulted in smaller sub-contractors like ourselves being left without payment for works done.
“We were contracted on both occasions to carry out the mechanical services (plumbing, heating, ventilation, gas installation and so on) on the Glaise na Rinne building site at Tullyglass Lower, Shannon. Back in late 2009, we were appointed by Paddy Burke of Burke’s Builders Ltd and again in late 2011 by Atlantic Developments Ltd to carry out works on this site. Both of these companies have subsequently ceased trading. We were owed €42,000 from Paddy Burke Builders and, more recently, owed €20,000 by Atlantic Developments, which are enormous figures for our small business. We completed our element of the work in good faith and awaited payment.”
Councillor PJ Kelly proposed the motion at the council meeting and said currently, there is no protection for sub-contractors. He noted the council is obliged to make payments to contractors on a 30-day basis but said there is no onus on the contractor then to pay those who have provided materials, labour or services. “There is an onus on us to ensure those people are paid,” he added.
Independent Councillor Gerry Flynn backed the motion. “The least we could do is protect the smaller contractors out there who, in a lot of cases, are not only gone out of business but are up to their eyes in debt.”
Councillor Pat Keane proposed sending the proposal to the Government, something that Councillor Richard Nagle also favoured.
A number of other councillors also said they favoured introducing protections for sub-contractors.