Gama workers urge Govt to secure Dutch accounts

Gama Construction workers have called on the Government to intervene to secure the information relating to the bank accounts held in their names in Holland.

The workers, who staged a protest outside the Dail today, claim millions of euros in unpaid wages has been hidden by the Turkish construction company at a branch of Finansbank in Amsterdam.

The company claims workers have always had access to the Dutch accounts and that there was no attempt to hide the money.

But the newly-formed Turkish Workers' Action Group today called on the Government to contact the bank through the Dutch authorities and "ensure that each worker has a full statement of his account since it was first opened."

The workers are also seeking a commitment from the Government that it will oblige the bank to accept instructions from each worker on what they wish to do with their funds.

The Taoiseach told the Dail today that officials from the Department Enterprise, Trade & Employment were in the process of contacting the bank and that help from the Irish Ambassador in Holland would be sought if necessary.

Mr Ahern said officials were seeking access to the bank records "to ensure that the rights and monies of these workers is secured".

He also said the money involved was substantially more than previous estimates of €30 million.

Earlier Siptu called on the Government to withhold public monies due to Gama Construction until the dispute over pay and conditions at the company is resolved.

The company is responsible for several public contracts, including the Huntstown power station and the Ennis and Ballincollig bypasses.

Siptu General President Jack O'Connor and Irish Congress of Trade Unions General Secretary David Begg are meeting Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment Micheál Martin this afternoon to discuss a number of issues arising out of the dispute.

Mr O'Connor said: "We want to raise with the Minister what public monies maybe due to Gama. . . . These funds should be withheld pending satisfactory resolution of the current dispute.

"We also want to ensure that the department opposes any attempt by Gama to send workers home before they have been paid all monies due to them," he added.

Around 400 Turkish workers staged a demonstration outside the Dail today over unpaid wages and work conditions at the company.

The workers, who walked off building sites over a week ago, chanted slogans outside Leinster House and carried placards that read in Turkish: "Give us back our money."

Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins, who first raised the issue in the Dail earlier this year, described the company as "a vile machine of exploitation".

Mr Higgins said it was "inconceivable" how the company secured major public projects without senior personnel in the Government noticing conditions at the company.