Derry Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Act now to help local building trade -Cllr Tony Hassan

Published: 3 September, 2010

Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Councillor Tony Hassan has said that a warning from the Construction Employers' Federation this week that 30,000 jobs will be lost from the sector by the end of 2011 shows just how bad the situation is for the industry in the North and reinforces his previous calls for urgent action to build more social houses to bring the homeless figures down and kick start a recovery in the construction industry.

Councillor Hassan said

"The figures released this week from Construction Employers' Federation that show 30,000 people could lose their jobs in the building trade by 2011 are quite staggering. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has also said that building work in North is at its lowest level for 10 years.

I know from talking to building firms in the Derry area and local trades people that they are also finding it difficult to survive as larger companies are now doing smaller work schemes like extensions and refurbishments, so local people are losing out on local work.

I believe that the fastest way to kick start the recovery and stabilising the construction industry is the building of more social housing schemes with local labour clauses being included . Thousands of homes need to be built so the plans for this need to be formulated now as a matter of urgency to enable the industry plan for the future and safeguard jobs

Local labour clauses ensures that local people are earning wages that are spent in the local economy therefore generating prosperity and opening up opportunities to the region

Councillor Hassan went on to say



"We must also ensure that policies are in place to enable our young people to get skilled up through apprenticeships and to learn the trade and for them to become the skilled construction workers of tomorrow.

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