This article is from page 21 of the 2008-02-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
CLARE builders have called on Bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh, to intervene on a disagreement involv- ing the ongoing renovation work on St Flannan’s College in Ennis.
The head of the Clare Plasterers Union, Paddy Kenneally, called on Bishop Walsh to support “social jus- tice” and end a ban on Clare builders from the site.
According to the union, which has more than 600 registered members in the county, St Flannan’s are us- ing non-union builders from outside of Clare and in the process breach-
ing union agreements made with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF).
‘This project has been going on for more than 12 months now and not one of our members are employed. The contractors are completely ig- noring long-standing agreements and keeping Clare working out of the job,” said Mr Kenneally.
“They are bringing in non-union workers from Mayo and Galway while Clare tradespeople are unem- ployed and being forced to immigra- tion.”
The diocese of Killaloe has been in- tegrally connected with St Flannan’s
College since it was first established more than 150 years ago.
Kenneally has called on Bishop Walsh to use his influence to con- vince Flannans President, Fr Joe McMahon, to speak to the contrac- tors on the issue.
“We are calling on the Bishop of Killaloe to make a positive contribu- tion to social justice by raising the matter with the college and urging the employment of Clare plasterers,” he continued.
‘There is a real slowdown in the in- dustry and the college can assist in maintaining local jobs by employing Clare tradesmen on this site.”