Ederney based L J McGrath Building Contractor is one of twenty-eight local companies awarded with the prestigious Investors in People (IiP) accreditation at a ceremony held at Hillsborough Castle.

Speaking at a celebration event held at Hillsborough Castle to congratulate the organisations, Stephen Farry, Minister for Employment and Learning, said: "It is heartening to once again recognise the achievements of a wide range of businesses receiving Investors in People accreditation. Everyone knows we are experiencing a challenging time in terms of keeping businesses viable and competitive. However, I am convinced that this is the time to raise the skills levels of the workforce so that we are well prepared for the opportunities ahead. It is only by investing in our most important asset – our people – that we can ensure that the Northern Ireland of the future can compete economically on a global scale.

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"Today we have a group representing the private, public and voluntary sectors reflecting a cross section of Northern Ireland businesses. Employers range from those with four employees through to one with almost 2,000, within a variety of sectors including Pharmaceuticals, Retail, Construction, Information Technology and Pest Control amongst us."

The Minister added: "Leading European organisations have identified the development of the people they employ as the best way of gaining a market advantage. It is an encouraging sign for our local economy therefore that so many organisations, particularly Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) continue to work with IiP to make significant business improvements. I hope that this group of successful organisations serve as an example to other employers not yet capitalising on the bottom-line business benefits of IiP."

(CD/GK)