NI Beaten In 2012 Olympic Race

The NI Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster is encouraging more companies to explore business opportunities offered by global sporting events - even though NI has been accused of 'dropping the ball' on the commercial Olympic race.

She has announced that 43 local firms - including those in the construction sector - have so far won more than £40 million of Olympics contracts.

But there were many such opportunities missed - with some taken up instead by the Irish Republic.

The Minister's announcement followed criticism about NI's failure to attract any of the teams competing in the 2012 Olympic Games to train locally.

The Irish Republic has in fact signed-up four teams to be based at the National Aquatic Centre in Dublin.

They are the Hungarian team and - ironically - the British water polo teams and the UK Paralympic swimmers as well as the USA synchronised swimming team.

In contrast, Northern Ireland hasn't managed to contract any teams at all, with Kate Hoey, the Labour MP - who is originally from Co Antrim and is a former sports minister - saying that Northern Ireland had been "complacent" towards the Olympics.

She told BBC NI this week that one potential fringe benefit of the Games was the building of an Olympics sized swimming pool in Bangor.

When announced back in June 2007, it was thought that Northern Ireland's first 50m pool would be perfect for a pre-Games training camp, but as has since emerged, that will not happen now. The pool was originally due for completion by March 2010.

North Down Borough council has since confirmed that the new facility will not be ready until autumn 2012, after the Games has finished.

Some 27 venues in Northern Ireland were originally included on a list of suitable sites for Olympic and Paralympic training camps, yet not one of the teams have signed up for any of them.

Winning Firms Strike Gold

With just one year to go before the London opening ceremony, details of new NI contract successes have nevertheless been revealed by the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games.

This includes builders H&J Martin in Belfast, which has won a contract to work within the International Broadcast Centre, and Boyd Bedding of Newtownstewart, Co Tyrone, which will be the sole supplier of wood shavings for the extensive equestrian section.

Companies have also secured business from several channels including CompeteFor, the web portal that has been marketed extensively in Northern Ireland, and from being part of the existing supply chains of major contractors.

A further £350 million worth of contracts for products and services are still to be placed and the contracts, many of which will be ideally suited to smaller companies, are likely to be let right up to the start of the Games in July 2012.

DUP Minister Foster said: "Over the past two years Invest Northern Ireland has made significant support available to companies who are bidding for 2012 business.

"The number of Olympics contracts awarded show that businesses here can compete successfully for work associated with this major, iconic event.

"Furthermore, several local food companies are currently bidding to provide food and drink to participants, organisers and visitors. However, the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics are just part of a series of upcoming major business opportunities for Northern Ireland companies," she said.

"Invest NI is already working to help companies secure business from other forthcoming international sporting events, especially the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, the Winter Olympics 2014 at Sochi, Russia, the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro.

"I would encourage all companies to access this support and explore the contracts on offer," she said.

Logan's Travel, Dunloy, and Translink, Belfast will both supply coaches for use during the 2012 Games.

Cunningham Covers in Maghera also won the contract to provide huge tarpaulin covers for the beach volleyball centre at Horse Guards Parade in the centre of London.

McGrath Group, Lisburn, has provided the architectural metal wok for the Olympic Stadium and Macrete Concrete, Toomebridge, the parapet support structures for bridges and roads in the Olympic Park.

Arlene Foster added: "It is encouraging to see the level of significant business placed with a broad range of Northern Ireland companies including Lagan Construction in Belfast, McAvoy Off-Site, Dungannon, Brett Martin, Newtownabbey and Ulster Weavers in Holywood.

"With a year to go before the Games begin, Invest NI will, along with the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure, encourage and assist our companies to identify opportunities.

"I am confident that the experience gained by many of our companies, both large and small in bidding for business from the 2012 London Olympics will benefit them at forthcoming international events," she said, optimistically.

See: NI 'Losing 2012 Olympic Training Race'

(BMcC/GK)