TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has asked for reports from the Department of Transport and Laois County Council following a protest by workers employed on the final section of the M7 motorway.
A spokeswoman for the Taoiseach told The Irish Timeslast night that Mr Cowen had received correspondence on the dispute between the council and the main contractor of the 36km motorway scheme, Bowen Somague Joint Venture.
He said Mr Cowen was awaiting the reports from the council and the Department of Transport, which has responsibility for the National Roads Authority (NRA).
The interest of the Taoiseach comes as workers blockading the site yesterday threatened to dig up part of the motorway unless they received back wages in time for Christmas.
The workers are also planning to picket Laois County Council offices this morning.
The motorway section is the final element in the State’s €18 billion intercity motorway programme and is due for completion by the end of the year.
However, employees of KC Civil Engineering have not been paid since November 1st as a result of the dispute which involves the main contractor Bowen Somague Joint Venture, the NRA and Laois County Council.
Chris Wholey of KC Civil Engineering said his company had not been paid as a result of the dispute and he had sympathy for the men.
