Chair of the Stormont Enterprise Committee Patsy McGlone has said that construction firms across the North have approached him with deep concerns about the future of the industry.

This comes as further evidence shows that the Executive's Capital Works Projects are progressing at a snail’s pace and placing huge pressure on the construction industry.

Mr McGlone said: "As chair of both the Stormont Enterprise committee and the All Party Group on Construction, I have spoken to scores of contractors, industry representatives and decent, ordinary labourers who continue to say the same thing. They are deeply worried about the sustainability of their jobs, their firms and their industry.

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"The closure of Mivan has dealt a serious blow to the industry and will loosen the foundations of the wider economic recovery. But more worrying is the disastrous domino effect the closure will have on subcontractors across the region. And you can be sure that when the final domino falls, it will fall hardest on the honest, hardworking labourer and their family, already struggling to make ends meet.

"It is imperative that the Executive takes action to address the concerns of firms and contractors as a matter of urgency. Only yesterday I was informed by representatives of the CCMS that of all the Department of Education’s new-build announcements in the last year, not one has begun. It is vital that where capital works projects are signed off and planning permission approved, work can begin as soon as possible to benefit both local communities and struggling workers."

(CD/MH)