Govt defends decision to allow construction workers to continue work despite health concerns

Construction workers are worried about the conditions they are being asked to work in on site.
Govt defends decision to allow construction workers to continue work despite health concerns

The Government is defending the decision to allow construction and factory employees to continue working despite health concerns.

Construction workers are worried about the conditions they are being asked to work in on site.

Hundreds of thousands of people are not at their usual place of work this afternoon because of the latest coronavirus restrictions but factories and building sites remain open.

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe is defending that decision.

"We will still need more homes, we will still need more investments in our economy to ensure that we can meet other public needs when we contain and then defeat this virus," said Mr Donohoe.

The Construction Industry Federation says it is absolutely critical that the latest HSE guidelines are implemented and enforced on building sites.

One construction worker has said that on his site there are no real precautions being brought in but there are signs being put up to advise workers to stay two feet away from each other.

Social distancing measures can be difficult to maintain on site especially when two or more workers are required to lift something heavy.

The Unite trade union says many construction workers are now being forced to decide to work in conditions without the proper coronavirus restrictions or stay at home and not get paid.

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