Public Works in Ireland

Book excerpt: This definitive work analyzes the current suite of public works standard form contracts and associated documents in Ireland, the use of which is mandatory for all public construction works. The book provides a detailed analysis of the four major forms of the construction contract - PWCF1 to PWCF4, inclusive - for use where the contract price is above the EU threshold for the EU Works Directive. All four standard forms have the same provisions - whether for building or civil construction - with modifications, depending upon whether design is undertaken by the State authority employer or by the contractor. The forms present a significant departure from what went before: some concepts are still relatively new to the industry and new language and definitions which remain to be tested in terms of interpretation. Written as an Irish reference source, both for the procurement stage as well as for the post-award through the life of a construction contract, Public Works in Ireland contains a chapter for each clause of the contract, with additional chapters dealing with EU public procurement law, associated model forms for bonds, warranties, standard letters, and other procedural observances required under EU and Irish law. A chapter on the disputes clause contains a commentary on the conciliation process and a detailed analysis of the prescribed arbitration rules, AR1, in terms of the Arbitration Act 2010, and observations on the likely impact of the Construction Contracts Act 2013.