Unofficial action at ­hospital building site

THE main contractor in the new €5.5 million 50-bed ward replacement at Ennis hospital has rejected claims that some of the construction workers on site are being paid below minimum industry rates.

A number of plasterers staged an “information protest” outside Ennis hospital on Tuesday and Wednesday. The plasterers, who stated they are members of the Clare branch of the plasterers’ union, held the unofficial action outside the main entrance of the facility.
Tony Kenneally from the Clare branch of the plasterers’ union has called for an investigation into the matter by the relevant authorities and claimed that neither he or his colleagues have not been allowed to enter the site.
Mr Kenneally told The Clare Champion he wasn’t able to establish if any union members are working in the hospital because he wasn’t allowed on site. The protestors carried placards with slogans alleging proper rates of pay are not being paid to plasterers on site.
Francis Browne, Cloughleigh, an unemployed plasterer, said he would like to get work on site but alleged some workers were not getting proper rates of pay.
The Clare Champion has learned the multi-million euro project has passed all the necessary EU and Irish regulations while all the necessary paperwork concerning rates of pay and conditions is provided to the Health Services Executive’s estate office on a monthly basis.
Glenbeigh Construction contracts manager, John Francis, rejected the claims made by the protestors and stressed it is fulfilling its obligations to ensure all sub contractors working on site are complying with regulations by providing proper rates of pay and conditions.
Mr Francis confirmed the 50 single en-suite bedrooms, which are provided over two floors, were built off-site at its Dublin offices to fast-track the construction process. In fact, it only took the company two weeks to construct the ground floor and the roof was on three weeks later. Apart from the beds, the company will also provide almost all of the furniture and fittings for the new ward.
The company started construction work last February and it is expected to be fully completed by September or early October.
Glenbeigh operations manager Frank Doolan said the company believes one of the protesters was pursuing his own agenda by trying to secure work for his son.
Mr Doolan pointed out the project went to tender, where local sub-contractors were given a fair chance to secure the tender.
“We could take a certain view of this ‘information protest’. We will see what evolves and may have to take action if it escalates,” he said.
The Mid-West Health Service Executive hadn’t responded to a Clare Champion query at the time of going to press.