SDLP Enterprise spokesperson and chair of the Assembly DETI committee Patsy McGlone met with key players in the construction industry to discuss issues affecting those involved in the sector, what measures are in place to help contractors and to assist first-time home buyers get on the property ladder.

The Mid Ulster assemblyman, who chaired a meeting of the Assembly All Party Working Group on Construction, said attendees included stakeholders from across the construction sector, professional bodies, housing associations.

Mr McGlone said: "This was a significant meeting of those who are at the heart of the industry who understand how it all works, together with those who are on the ground in the construction industry.

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"Meetings such as these are important and a valuable opportunity for people to get together and see what can be done to make sure we get capital projects off the ground and what can be done to help companies and their employees in the construction sector."

Also on the agenda was discussion about Housing Executive tender for maintenance contracts and tenders for installation of windows, both of which he said have been considerably delayed, amounting to hundreds of millions of pounds. A senior HE representative reported at the meeting on progress to expedite the tender processes.

Mr McGlone said: "It gives us a chance to hear where the sector is doing well and what can be done to improve things. Recently we had the massive blow from the collapse of Mivan which, undoubtedly, had a huge impact on the smaller sub-contractors and the people they employ."

The meeting also discussed the 'Help to Buy' scheme and heard from representatives from the Council for Mortgage Lenders to discuss the scheme and its potential impact here.

(CD/JP)