Monaghan County Council and the National Roads Authority (NRA) have moved to allay fears over wage levels in the Border region.
Concerns have been raised following the awarding of the €50 million contract for the new N2 Dublin/Derry bypass at Castleblayney to the Turkish construction company Gama.
The project is part of a €120 million scheme which involves the acquisition of lands and the development of a new 16-km roadway in mid-Monaghan.
The bypass is the first in Ireland to have a new three-plus-one lane system installed which will make it safer for vehicles overtaking. It is already widely used in Sweden and Scandinavia.
Yesterday, a spokesman for the NRA allayed fears expressed by the Monaghan trades council over the allocation of the contract to Gama "in the light of its past history with its workers".
"There are strict conditions applicable to the contract both in regard to the works to be carried out and with regard to the payment and conditions of workers employed on the development", the spokesman said.
Monaghan County Council said it was satisfied there would be full compliance with the contract which had been secured by Gama, having been offered to potential tenderers throughout the European Union.
The council spokesman said work was due to begin immediately on the project, which is the third bypass to be built iMonaghan reducing travel-time to Dublin by 45 minutes. It is anticipated it will be completed in 2007.
The mayor of Clones, Cllr Peter McAleer, who is secretary of Monaghan trades council, said the contract would be closely monitored by union representatives.