ONE of the country’s largest construction-related businesses has urged the new government not to hold back on investing in infrastructure, even though the economy remains weak — pointing out that now is the time to plan for the future.

JOHN SISK & SON, the construction arm of the Sisk Group, has begun work on high profile contracts worth in excess of €300 million in Britain in the past nine months.

CONSTRUCTION group John Sisk & Son Ltd has announced profits of more than €13.3 million for 2009, down from profits of nearly €22m the previous year, but still a creditable performance given the broader economic challenges facing the Irish building sector.

THE Sisk Group has won a €60 million development contract to build a major hospital in al-Ain, the second largest city in Abu Dhabi, with work due to commence next month and completion expected in two years’ time.

TWO of the country’s biggest construction firms have been fined a total of €14.25 million as part of a major fraud investigation in Britain into illegally rigging contracts.

CONSTRUCTION giant John Sisk & Son paid out a dividend of more than €90 million last year as pre-tax profits fell by €2.5m.

PRE-TAX profits at the Sisk Group slumped 21.5% to €64.2 million last year in what the company called a competitive market.