New Arbitration Rules under the Public Works Contract
07.10.2008
Under the Public Works Contracts, the Irish courts retain jurisdiction to settle any disputes which may arise out of or in connection with the Contract or the Works. The conciliation and arbitration procedures, however, are limited to disputes arising under the Contract which may leave a slightly broader jurisdiction to the courts than was intended. Disputes arising under the Public Works Contracts are to be referred to conciliation and then arbitration, if settlement is not achieved. This tiered process of conciliation followed by arbitration reflects the position that contractors and employers alike are familiar with in the Irish market both under the IEI and RIAI standard forms of contract. However the Public Works Contracts introduce new rules which differ significantly from those which have applied previously.
