CONTRACTORS have claimed that a parallel investigation, jointly commissioned by the northern Ireland Housing Executive (nIHE), has not only vindicated them but proved they were underpaid.
The total they say is owed is understood to be a seven-figure sum and the firms have urged the nIHE to release the report.
PK Murphy Construction of Pomeroy, Co Tyrone, Mascott Construction in Belfast, Dixons Contractors of Dunloy, Co Antrim and Bann Ltd of Craigavon said they were not consulted by Campbell Tickell when compiling the report to be discussed at stormont today nor shown any evidence to support the £18m overpayment allegation. The firms claim they have been "wrongly accused of trying somehow to take advantage of our client". The companies said they asked for a parallel inquiry and two expert cost consultants had been appointed, one by NIHE and the second by the firms themselves. The companies said that at the outset the contractors and NIHE agreed that any over or underpayment would be honoured. a spokesman said: "We are delighted that our position has been vindicated. The impact of these allegations on all our businesses has been immense. We have always known we had carried out the work required of us to the ethos of the contract."