Thousands of building workers are to stage a demonstration in Dublin next week to highlight concerns over safety standards.
The move has been described as "disappointing" by the Construction Industry Federation, which says it will cost members millions of euro.
The protest, a march from Parnell Square to Government Buildings, is expected to be attended by at least 8,000 workers from seven trade unions.
Mr Fergus Whelan of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, which is supporting the event, said 22 people had been killed in building-site accidents last year.
"The idea that so many people could be killed in any occupation in one year while making a living is totally unacceptable in this day and age," he said.
While there had been efforts to improve the situation, employers and the Government were not doing enough to uphold proper safety standards, he claimed.
Mr Eric Fleming of SIPTU, one of the unions involved, said building workers were "outraged at the horrendous lack of safety standards on building sites".
SIPTU had advised its members to take a much tougher line on any abuse of health and safety standards on building sites, he said.
Mr Peter McCabe, the CIF's director of safety, said he was personally disappointed by the action given the partnership approach that had been developed by unions and companies.
More than €40 million had been spent by the industry in the past two years on safety measures, and more than 185,000 workers had been trained under the "safe pass" programme.
It was accepted that the accident rate was too high, but the situation was improving and the rate of fatalities per 100,000 construction workers had fallen by 26 per cent since 1995.
Further improvements could be achieved if all sides worked together, but there was a responsibility on workers as well as employers, Mr McCabe said.
