Cochrane raises concerns of construction industry at Assembly East Belfast Alliance MLA Judith Cochrane today raised the concerns of the construction industry on the floor of the Assembly during a debate on public procurement. She highlighted the problem of securing work placements for construction trainees which prevents them from gaining their technical certificates, and suggested that the inclusion of social clauses within building contracts could help to address this problem.
Judith Cochrane MLA said: “Whether they relate to employment, apprenticeships or environmental sustainability, such clauses should be seen as an integral aspect of the public procurement process here. Arguably, through their implementation, our public spending return is likely to be much more beneficial, both economically and practically.
“I also raised the fact that many of our small construction companies find it difficult to break through the barrier to become a main contractor even if they have the relevant skills and expertise to deliver a project. By acknowledging previous experience of working as a sub-contractor on a similar sized project, the procurement process could help alleviate this problem.”