HSE monitoring has consistently shown negligible levels of Covid-19 cases associated with the construction industry. However, the sector will likely remain substantially closed aside from current exemptions.
In a statement, CIF said, “The industry is an international exemplar of safety and operating under Covid-19 and has proven it can operate at full capacity without contributing to the spread of Covid-19 in the community. The extension of the partial lockdown in construction will now see 800 homes per week taken out of supply. Over 60,000 construction employees are now on PUP and thousands of their jobs are permanently threatened.
“Since January 4, the industry has been operating at approximately 40% capacity with minimal cases on sites even whilst the new variant of Covid-19 has spiked in the community.”
The CIF said it will continue to press the Government to consider the industry’s safety record and the wider evidence and allow the industry to reopen entirely at the earliest date.
