Other education programmes include the nationwide Metrobank Math Challenge, the national College Scholarship Programme and an educational grants programme to fund construction of school buildings, curriculum development, and teacher training, among others.

UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES

It is hoped that any major housebuilding programme could also boost the stalled construction sector and reduce unemployment.

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At Stornoway, there was a 2.4% fall, mainly due to the completion of the school building programme, a project which used external construction workers flying between Stornoway and the mainland.

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However, since a critical UN report in 2010 organisers have produced an extensive "green" programme for Sochi 2014, including carbon neutral construction, environmental education, and a plan to reintroduce the endangered snow leopard back into the region.

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The construction industry is heavily reliant on house building and repairs, along with the government's capital investment programme, particularly in water infrastructure, roads, education and health.

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"When you realise that half the budget is already committed to contracts, that means effectively wiping out almost the entire new build programme for the next four years and that will have a tremendous impact on the construction trade in NI, " he warned.

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