The number of deaths every year from accidents at work was "absolutely appalling", the Dail was told. Mr Tommy Broughan (Lab, Dublin North-East) said the Government had a "major responsibility" to answer for the lack of resources given to the Health and Safety Authority, which inspects work sites. The Government had "given such paltry resources to this vital piece of legislation". Mr Broughan said there were 45 occupational deaths a year, including 17 in the construction industry. That was "utterly unacceptable", he told the Minister of State for Enterprise, Mr Tom Kitt, when he asked the Minister what precautions he was taking to protect construction and other workers.
Mr Kitt pointed out that in 1990 exchequer funding of the authority amounted to £2.3 million and in 1998 it would amount to £4.7 million.
Staff numbers at the authority had risen by seven to 119. The Minister said this represented an increase of 20 per cent in approximately three years. Last year more than 4,500 formal inspections were carried out in the construction sector. This was the highest figure for any single sector, he stressed.
Mr Kitt said there had been a steady increase in the funding and staff allocated to the authority over the past few years. The Labour deputy asked how many of the 119 staff in the Health and Safety Authority were actually inspectors.
The Minister said there was an ongoing review of resources and he would continue to "fight my corner" for additional funding.