Coronavirus: Work in construction sector likely to continue

There are no indications at present of outdoor construction sites closing down on foot of the coronavirus outbreak.

Highly placed sources said building work on these sites was likely to continue unless the client concerned sought for construction to be halted.

Industry sources said Health Service Executive (HSE) guidance on social distancing was being applied on building sites.

The Construction Industry Federation said on Wednesday that construction companies were continuing to deliver on contractually-agreed commitments for public and private sector clients in the safest manner possible in keeping with HSE and Health and Safety Authority (HSA) guidelines.

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“The industry has tens of thousands of employees operating on construction sites around the country. These employees are crucial to both the economy and society as they deliver critical housing and infrastructure. Construction companies are implementing the Government’s guidelines for workplaces in dealing with Covid-19 in the overall effort to flatten the curve,” it said.

“Our members will continue to deploy staff onto construction sites and take every possible step to ensure the safety of their employees and the general public whilst delivering essential construction activity.”

There are about 150,000 people employed in the construction sector in Ireland.

Unions have also said they believed that work on construction sites would continue as normal for the moment.