Minister for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English has named additional 17 members to the Ministerial Panel of Adjudicators under the Construction Contracts Act 2013.

On 7 March 2020, the minister re-appointed 19 members of the previous panel who had re-applied to serve on the adjudication panel. 

This now brings the total composition of the panel to five barristers, six solicitors, six architects, seven engineers, and 12 quantity surveyors.

Speaking about the appointments Minister English said that he believed that the new adjudication panel would greatly assist those involved in the construction sector to resolve payment disputes in a professional and efficient way.

The Construction Contracts Act 2013 introduced new minimum payment arrangements between parties to a construction contract, which applies to contracts entered into after 25 July, 2016.

Section 8 provides for the establishment of a minister-appointed panel of adjudicators and section 8(1) of the act states: “The minister shall from time to time select persons to be members of a panel to act as adjudicators in relation to payment disputes and shall select one of those persons to chair the panel.” 

Dispute

Under the act, if a payment dispute arises between parties to a construction contract covered by the act, either party may refer the dispute for adjudication, which will then take place in a tight timeframe.

If the parties cannot agree on the appointment of an adjudicator, an application can be made to the chair of the Construction Contracts Adjudication Panel, Dr Nael G. Bunni, to appoint an adjudicator to the dispute from the panel. 

Members 

Minister English has appointed the following people to the panel: