Local politicians have raised concerns over the lack of social clauses in South Dublin County Council’s construction contracts. The issue has come to light following a question submitted to the May County Council meeting by People Before Profit Councillor Madeleine Johansson about the use of social clauses. Social clauses can be included in tendering contracts for projects such as social housing or community facilities. They usually promote the hiring of locally based labour, the employment of workers who were previously unemployed or apprentices.
The only recent projects to include social clauses were the North Clondalkin Library, Castletymon Library, Kilcarbery housing development and Killinarden housing development. Other projects such as the Lucan swimming pool, the Balgaddy housing and community centre development and others have no social clauses included.
Cllr Madeleine Johansson commented: “It’s disappointing to see that a large number of council projects don’t have any social clauses. We should be using social clauses to ensure that workers living locally can access work opportunities in the local area. This would benefit not only local tradespeople and construction workers, but also the environment as travel to and from work would be reduced.”
People Before Profit TD for Dublin Midwest Gino Kenny said: “I’m very concerned that these social clauses are no longer part of council contracts. I have been contacted by construction workers in the local area who have been denied work on sites here. There is also a big problem with bogus self employment in the construction industry and I think South Dublin County Council needs to take more responsibility to ensure that this is not happening on their sites.”
