There has been a 2.7-point fall in construction activity in Northern Ireland during the last quarter, according to the government's latest construction industry update.

This dip has resulted in £15million worth of work being wiped from the industry.

The Central Survey Unit of the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) formulated the figures, detailed in the Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin.

The Index uses 2000 as the base year, equaling that year to 100-points.

The latest bulletin has provided an insight into construction performance, in terms of output, in Northern Ireland, for the period 1 January to 31 March 2008. 



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Research found that the Index of Construction is down 2.7 points on the previous quarter.

The seasonally adjusted Index of Construction was 94.7, down 2.7 points on the previous quarter (97.4) and down 6.8 points on the corresponding quarter in 2007 (101.5).

The estimated seasonally adjusted value of construction output (at 2000 prices) was £525 million, a decrease of 2.8% (£15 million) on the previous quarter (£540 million) and a decrease of 6.7% (£38 million) on the corresponding quarter in 2007 (£563 million).

The primary measure of the value of construction output in Northern Ireland (the Index of Construction) is obtained from the Northern Ireland Quarterly Construction Enquiry (QCE).

This is a statutory survey of construction firms operating in Northern Ireland.

Each quarter a sample of construction firms is asked to provide details of the value of construction activity they have undertaken in a specified period.

(PR/JM)