Olympic contracts

The 2012 London Olympic Games provide opportunities for Northern Ireland companies to win business contracts and some have already done so.

Belfast-based Lagan Construction has won a major contract to construct the Central Park Bridge in the Olympic Park in London and Colin Loughran, deputy managing director, said, ‘We are delighted to have secured the tender for such an important project at the heart of the Olympic Park. It’s a tremendous boost for the company to be an integral part of one of the largest construction projects in the United Kingdom.’

Another Northern Ireland company, Macrete Concrete from county Antrim, has won a major contract for parapet support structures.

We were all disappointed at the way in which the government diverted money away from Northern Ireland and other parts of the United Kingdom to fund the Olympic Games in London but credit is due to those local companies that have brought business back to Northern Ireland through the Olympics.

We must also do all we can through the focus on the Olympics to increase participation in sport and thereby help to address the problem of obesity in our society, especially among young people.