06 November 2008 - Northern Ireland Construction Bulletin

The primary measure of the value of construction output in Northern Ireland (the Index of Construction) is obtained from the Northern Ireland Quarterly Construction Enquiry (QCE). This is a statutory survey of construction firms operating in Northern Ireland.  Each quarter a sample of construction firms is asked to provide details of the value of construction activity they have undertaken in a specified period. The Index uses 2000 as the base year i.e. (2000=100).

This Bulletin provides a measure of the value of construction output in Northern Ireland for the period 1 April to 30 June 2008.

Key Findings:

• The provisional seasonally adjusted Index of Construction for the period 1st April to 30th June 2008 is 97.6, consistent with the overall downward trend in construction output in the previous twelve months.
• There has been a consistent decrease in housing output for each of the last four quarters. The decrease in housing has been partially offset by an increase in infrastructure output over the same period. Construction output on ‘Other’ work has broadly remained at the same level.

Readers are reminded:

• The figures reported above are based on returns from construction firms for the period 1 April to 30 June 2008;
• Results, particularly for the latest quarter are provisional and subject to revision, as fuller information becomes available from subsequent returns in future quarters.

The planned publication dates of the next four quarterly Bulletins are as follows:

Copies of the bulletin and tables are available from the Central Survey Unit website at: http://www.csu.nisra.gov.uk/survey.asp84.htm

Notes to editors:

Further information about the content of the bulletin and copies of the Bulletin are available from:

Media enquiries only to DFP Press Office on 028 9052 7644 or 028 9052 7375. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.