An umbrella group representing stakeholders across the construction sector has called for a return to the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly to address the public sector budget crisis and prevent streetlights being switched off.
The Northern Ireland Construction Group, whose members benefit from the rollout of infrastructure and other build projects, said budget cuts announced in April by Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris have been further eroded by inflationary pressures leaving many essential government services and capital plans.
It said it was concerned at proposals being considered to reduce costs by the Department of Infrastructure such as switching off streetlights providing no winter road gritting, reducing water and wastewater services, redrawing public transport provision and a reduction to ‘emergency-only’ services for road maintenance and flood risk management.
