Industry body says employment in the region is at 'crisis point'
Up to 8,000 construction jobs in Northern Ireland have been lost or are at risk as a result of the credit crunch, the region's leading industry body has warned.
The Construction Employers' Federation (CEF), which represents more than 70% of the industry locally, said yesterday the situation was at 鈥渃risis point鈥�.
A survey of 200 housebuilders in the region indicated 3,000 redundancies had been made in the year to 20 June. A further 4,000 to 5,000 jobs are likely to go next year if conditions fail to improve, the body said.
Twelve of the region's leading civil engineering firms said total employment could fall by 45% if the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland (ISNI) was not brought forward.
The magnitude of the slowdown and job losses in housebuilding will impact on the industry's supply chain
John Armstrong, CEF
CEF managing director John Armstrong said: 鈥淭he magnitude of the slowdown and job losses in housebuilding will impact on the industry's supply chain.
鈥淲e urge the executive to formulate a programme to encourage first-time buyers, stimulate socially affordable housing projects and accelerate procurement of ISNI projects.
鈥淭his sector has been a major driver of growth over the past decade. To let it collapse now would take a generation to recover.鈥�
