As reported on RTE.ie, the Department of Education has ordered random audits of school building projects. The audit is an effort to ensure that contractors are complying with proper pay and working conditions on sites. Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn said that the vast majority of building contractors are fully compliant. However, he said he wants to ensure all workers on sites funded through the Department of Education are getting their proper entitlements.
Ireland is borrowing €2bn from EU and IMF sources to fund the construction of hundreds of new school buildings and education facilities.
Employers in Ireland are required to pay rates in accordance with the Construction Registered Employment Agreement, which gives enhanced basic rates of pay as well as mandatory enrolment in the Construction Workers Pension Scheme and access to Sick Benefit and Death in Service Benefit.Now the Department of Education has appointed a private company to carry out random audits of sites. It will check pay and conditions, but also be on the alert for potential tax and social welfare fraud. The department says detailed audits of employment records will also be carried out on a number of projects. The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has welcomed news of the random audits.
