Northern Irish contractors over local workers on Pettigo Road ‘doesn’t sit right’

Donegal Municipal District Cathaoirleach, Micheál Naughton, said the use of Northern Irish contractors to do road maintenance work on the Pettigo Road did not “sit right” with him.

Speaking to Donegal Live, after commenting on the issue of road maintenance workers on the road from Pettigo to Laghey at Donegal MD’s October meeting at Donegal Town, Cllr Naughton stated: “When you look at the contractors who have been working on the Pettigo Road for the last number of years, they do a fine job on the work that they do.

“The local contractors were local employees and people who gave back to the local economy, but this year, the Northern Ireland contractors were appointed to do this work, and something doesn’t sit right with me. It is something that we have a serious issue with because we are not comparing like with like.

“These people come down to the south, and they don’t have to pay the same wages to the staff as they do down here. These people do the job and move back, so they are not adding much to the economy here. They come down, they are getting their money for doing their work and taking it all back.

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“We have to make sure that people on our own doorstep can do this work, and they have done a very good job. Why can we not do that going forward? If you build your own house and have contractors who did a very good job, you are going to go for them again. Why would you go from someone different?

“If they break the terms and conditions, you can understand it, but these people have done a successful job on the Pettigo Road to date.

“This tender process, I take issue with because you are not comparing apples with apples, you can get a difference in price. Of course, they are going to be a little dearer, but that man is giving back to us, that man is paying his rates here, that man is paying his tax and insurance here, all that is going to the local economy here.”

Responding to Cllr Naughton’s words at the MD meeting, Mark Sweeney, the Area Manager for Roads and Transportation, said: “All the works we do is tendered in line with the guidelines.

“Our hands are tied once we put it out to tender. That is the rules and regulations we are following.”