NI Construction Output 'At 2008 Level'

Construction output in Northern Ireland has continued to fall in the largest quarterly decrease in production since 2008.

According to recent figures published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) the total volume of construction output in the second quarter of 2011 fell by 7.0% compared to the first quarter of 2011. This is 14.4% lower than the figures released for the same quarter last year and the largest quarterly decrease in the volume of construction output since quarter 3 in 2008.

Meanwhile the data published in the Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin showed that the volume of overall construction output in Northern Ireland has now fallen for 12 consecutive quarters and is 38.2% lower than the peak in 2007.


Downturn in production has been attributed to the decrease in the volume of new work, which decreased by 10.8% over the quarter.

The volume of new work has now fallen for six consecutive quarters and is 47.1% lower than the peak in Q1 2007.

The Construction Output Statistics published in the Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin provide a general measure of change in real terms in the output of the Construction Industry in Northern Ireland.



The results are primarily used by National Accounts in the calculation of the output measure of UK Gross Domestic Product.

The data is also used by Northern Ireland Government Departments, Economists, Construction Industry Analysts and Academics to understand the state of the construction sector in Northern Ireland and the wider Northern Ireland economy.

(LB/BMcC)