The new Chairman of the umbrella group representing 18 different professional bodies within the Northern Ireland construction industry has said that emerging from recession and the next two years are possibly a greater challenge than dealing with the constant effects of a suppressed construction market for the last eight years.
Martin Hare is the new Chairman of the Construction Industry Group Professionals Council, which represents the interests of construction industry professionals with Government and policy-makers. He is a Chartered Architect and a Director at McAdam Design.
Commenting on his priorities as Chairman, he said, “Although the Council is encouraged that opportunities, commissions and actual on-site construction is on the rise, we also believe the recovery process requires careful management. The focus of the Professionals Council will be to ensure Public Sector procurement extracts the best value for Northern Ireland customers by focusing on building a quality environment which supports economic recovery. Having worked through recent austerity measures we believe it is time for collaboration and shared ideas.
“We wish to ensure that payment for construction professionals accurately reflects the challenges ahead. This includes appropriate fees, reasonable payment schedules and fair apportionment of risk, which allows construction professionals to add real value. We have the professional capacity to meet emerging demands, and we represent the widest grouping of Northern Ireland construction professionals with the majority educated and trained locally.”
From this unique position, Martin believes that the Council can provide insight on current and emerging trends. “The Professional Council has a strong record of pro-active and effective engagement with local government and I look forward to building on its past achievements,” concluded Martin, who takes over his role from Kevin McShane.
