Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has come under fire after the HSE awarded a €14 million contract to Western Building Systems.
The firm is being sued by the Department of Education after building defects were found in the 42 schools WBS built for the State over the last few years.
Despite this, the company has been appointed to build the new 60 bed ward at University Hospital Limerick.
Fianna Fáil representative Barry Cowen has hit out at the Taoiseach's "all talk and no action" approach and criticised a "clear" lack of communication between Departments.
Deputy Cowen said: "During Leaders Questions in February of this year, in responding to questions around the NCH overrun the Taoiseach said, 'There are one or two contractors who, quite frankly, I would not like to see get a public contract again in this State'.
"He went on to say that the Government would examine the problem of low-balling and low-price tenders and said that 'we also particularly want to look at contractors' past form and public service references. However, EU procurement law does not allow us to ban people from tendering. Perhaps we can work into the scoring system a public service reference or a past form clause looking at previous projects'.
"The Taoiseach himself is on record as having said there needs to be a change in the tendering process and that contractors past performance needs to be taken into account, but as usual we know that his promises only last as long as the news cycle.
"I'd like to know whether Western Building Systems is one of the contractors he'd not like to see get a public contract given that last year serious structural flaws were found in over 20 schools. This caused huge headaches for parents as children were returning to school.
"Yet in May this year the HSE signed a contract awarding a €14 million contract to Western Building Systems to build a new ward at University Hospital Limerick without reference to their past form. Are the Government happy to reward bad behaviour or do the Departments just not speak to one another?
"The Taoiseach's empty promises on the tendering process have ensured that these farcical situations will be allowed to happen time and time again under the Fine Gael Government," concluded Deputy Cowen.
(CM/JG)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Construction News
20/08/2019
FF Hits Out At 'Lack Of Communication' Over HSE Contract Decision
Latest Construction News
20/11/2024
MDE has been awarded the electrical services contract for the Clondalkin School Development Project in Dublin. Working alongside Cunningham Contracts Ltd., the company will serve as the specialist electrical contractor for the construction of new facilities for Gaelscoil na Camóige, Gaelscoil ...
20/11/2024
In celebration of European Week for Waste Reduction, the Northern Ireland Resources Network (NIRN) has launched an environmental education programme to promote zero-waste principles among young people. Three schools from the ABC Borough—St Francis Primary School in Lurgan, St Patrick's Primary ...
20/11/2024
Work has begun at hospital sites across Northern Ireland as part of preparations to eliminate car parking charges by May 2026. Health and Social Care Trusts are installing the necessary infrastructure for a new traffic management system, following the passing of the Hospital Parking Charges Act by ...
20/11/2024
Fine Gael has accused Sinn Féin of abandoning its commitment to protect consumers from rising energy costs, claiming that the party's policies could lead to increased costs for 2.1 million customers. The criticism comes after Sinn Féin's alternative budget last month proposed retaining the ...
20/11/2024
SDLP Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs Spokesperson Patsy McGlone has urged Minister Andrew Muir to take decisive action to protect the environment, rather than launching additional reviews. The comments came after Minister Muir announced a review into environmental governance during an ...
20/11/2024
Alliance Strangford MLAs Kellie Armstrong and Nick Mathison, along with Alliance East Antrim MLA Danny Donnelly, recently visited the tidal research experiment at Queen's University Marine Laboratory (QML) in Strangford. The project, funded by the Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE), is ...
19/11/2024
Phoenix Energy has been awarded an international standards accreditation from the British Standards Institution (BSI) in recognition of its inclusive service approach for customers in vulnerable situations. The certification highlights Phoenix Energy's commitment to providing fair, flexible, and ...
19/11/2024
Seating Matters is investing £3.7 million to enhance and improve its manufacturing facilities in Limavady and L'Derry. The company is aiming to support its bold strategy to triple revenue by 2027. Making the announcement while visiting the company's Limavady site Economy Minister Conor Murphy ...
19/11/2024
SDLP Infrastructure Spokesperson Mark H Durkan has urged the Minister and the Executive to take immediate action to address problems within Northern Ireland Water. Mr Durkan warned that the current state of the wastewater system is creating significant delays for infrastructure projects across ...
19/11/2024
Galway City Council will hold a public information evening on affordable housing on Monday, November 25, 2024, from 4pm to 8pm at the Connacht Hotel, Old Dublin Road, Galway. The event will provide an opportunity for the public to learn about how affordable housing operates. Council staff will be ...