Patton subcontractors at Assembly to lobby MLAs

West Tyrone MLA Barry McElduff has met with subcontractors affected by the Patton group going into administration.

The all party meeting was an initiative by Sinn Féin MLA Daithí McKay to outline the difficult situation that many companies now find themselves in. Mr McElduff said: “There were sub-contractors from West Tyrone present in the packed room in Stormont who voiced their frustration at the situation. Some sub-contractors will be able to subsume this debt whilst others are in need of support and advice as to how they can deal with this debt being passed down the chain, especially when the doors of many banks remain closed to them. There is a particular onus on Invest NI and the Enterprise Minister to assist these businesses in whatever way they can, as last week’s news will lead to further job losses through these sub-contractors.. It is important that Assembly members and Ministers avail of the opportunity to listen to sub-contractors concerns and worries about this situation. The representatives from Patton’s that were present at the discussion outlined the full scale of the situation and highlighted the fact that well over 2000 employees will be affected who are owed approximately £15million.These companies are located right across the north and are a vital part of our local economy. This needs to be an immediate priority.”