Commenting on the Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin Q1 2018, Robert Gibson, Audit and Assurance Director at leading business advisory firm Grant Thornton Northern Ireland, said:
“The latest Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin shows that the sector got off to a slow start in the first quarter of 2018, following four quarters of relative consistency.
“The total volume of construction output in the first quarter of 2018 represented a 6.5 per cent decrease on the previous three months and was 6.1 per cent lower compared to the same quarter in 2017.
“While these figures may provide some cause for concern in the industry, work levels in 2017 were among some of the highest recorded in the past five years. It is also too early to determine whether the decrease is the start of a new trend or merely a short-term setback.
“The data does not include business secured outside Northern Ireland, where many of our clients in the industry continue to carry out significant levels of work.”