INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
MEETING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE, FINANCE AND ECONOMY MINISTERS, THE CONSTRUCTION EMPLOYERS FEDERATION HAS RE-ESTABLISHED ENGAGEMENT WITH A NEWLY-RESTORED STORMONT… Highlighting the pressures caused by underfunding of vital infrastructure
With the return of the Northern Ireland Executive bringing fresh opportunities for CEF to directly engage on the industry’s behalf, its team met with three ministers on April 17.
Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd emphasised DfI is
positioning itself as the enabling department within the Executive’s ambition for economic growth. Leo Martin and Martin Mallon, Chairs of the CEF Civil Engineering and Housing Committees, shared their experience of the mounting pressures caused by prolonged underfunding of vital infrastructure underpinning thousands of social and affordable homes, commercial investment,
L-R: Martin Mallon, SouthBank Square, Leo Martin, GRAHAM, Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd and Mark Spence, chief executive, CEF.
“A common theme was the importance of continued collaboration between industry and government in addressing challenges such as funding vital investment in infrastructure, increasing social value and supporting skills development.”
transport links and carbon reduction projects. Opportunity to refine the current planning system and make it fit for purpose was also discussed, with CEF planning further engagement with
L-R: Fionnuala McKenna, Construction Futures NI, Economy Minister Conor Murphy, Finance Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and Mark Spence, chief executive, CEF.
the Minister after the Executive agrees its budget allocations for 2024/25. CEF also met with Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald and Economy Minister Conor Murphy. In a wide-ranging discussion,
Construction Futures NI, the company set up by CEF and trade unions to proactively support promotion of construction industry careers and skills development. It works closely with the Department for the Economy, CITBNI, the NI Skills Council and a wide range of educational providers. CEF also attended a Communities Committee meeting on April 18 to brief MLAs on the challenges facing the homebuilding sector against a backdrop of a 60-year low of housing completions in 2023. It follows a recent survey
highlighting that current wastewater capacity constraints are holding up some 8,450 homes equating to just under £1bn of investment. Elsewhere, CEF attended a Social Housing Development Programme Innovation Lab set up by the Minister for Communities to continue engagement with key sectoral stakeholders on the challenges facing homebuilders, as DfC’s Draft Housing Supply Strategy currently navigates its way through the department. www.cefni.co.uk
a common theme was the importance of continued
collaboration between industry and government in addressing challenges such as funding vital investment in infrastructure, increasing social value and supporting skills development and creation of ‘good jobs’. Fionnuala McKenna provided an update on the progress of
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