Mattie McGrath Calls for Probe of CRH PLC Over Quarry Crisis
Mattie McGrath accused CRH PLC and large construction firms of causing the crisis in quarries and concrete plants and demanded an investigation. He said enforcement bodies and the Government were failing to investigate CRH PLC and condemned a proposed penal levy that would fall on young people and farmers.
Allegations against CRH PLC
He told the House that CRH PLC dominates the industry and cited a $101 million settlement in a price-fixing market-sharing case in Virginia in October 2020. He alleged CRH controls the market through a "stable family of a secondary-owned so-called independent operators" and forced many companies out of business.
Failures of enforcement bodies and the Government
He said the Garde won't investigate CRH PLC, nor will the Competition Authority or the Office of Corporate Enforcement, and accused the Government of protecting the company. He argued CRH has the resources to pay for remediation of mica and pyrite damage if asked by the Government but is being let off scot-free.
Opposition to penal levy and impact on citizens
He criticised a proposed penal levy as effectively a tax that will punish young people and press farmers, asking why ordinary people are being targeted while alleged corporate culprits escape investigation. He framed the levy as unfair given his allegations about market control.
Direct criticism of ministers and parties
He accused Ministers of cowardice and being beholden to big corporations, naming Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael as being "in their pockets." He described the situation and the Government's response as "disgusting, despicable, disgraceful."
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
I do want to support this motion tonight. What about the perpetrators of the crisis, the quarries, the concrete plants, the industry sector, is dominated and controlled by CRH PLC, Ireland's largest company, number one in the US, number one in the UK and the world's third biggest manufactured construction materials. CRH PLC settled the price-fixing market sharing case taken in the state of Virginia for $101 million in October 2020. $101 million. The Garde won't investigate CRH PLC. The Competition Authority won't investigate CRH PLC. The Office of Corporate Enforcement won't investigate CRH PLC. The Government won't investigate CRH PLC. In fact, you protect them. And that's the shame of this altogether. As I said, CRH has the resources to pay for all the mica and pyrite if they were asked by your Government. But no, you'll be holding to them. CRH needs to be investigated to establish the extent of control over the market. We know from previous Sunday Independent Report that CRH PLC owns a stable family of a secondary-owned so-called independent operators. We know that. They forced them out of business, took them over, hijacked them and banjaxed them and controlled them and squeezed the lifeblood out of many good companies in this country. And the Fianna Fáil party founded by the Evalera and Lamass are in their pockets. So are Fianna Gael. And that's the facts of the matter. So why pick on young Irish people and help press farmers by imposing such a penal levy? It's a tax. It walks like it tax and it is a tax. And when the culprits are getting away scot-free, where is home mind in all of this? So I ask you, Minister, why are you so beholding to these big companies, the corporates, and it's gone to a new law when you try and penalise the ordinary people that want to put a roof over their heads? It is disgusting, it is despicable, it is disgraceful. And the cowardice shown by your Ministers, Minister, I don't know who I believe, will cobble this up, and Minister Ryan. And to let off the CR Hayes scot-free, it's shameful, it's shameful, it's shameful.
Thank you for downloading 🙏
If you publish this material on social media, we would be very grateful if you tagged VideoParliament. It helps us reach more people and keep building a transparent archive of Irish politics.
