Mr Robinson raised the issue earlier this week in Parliament. Speaking afterwards he said,
“This news is deeply concerning for the local community. While I expect the jobs in East Belfast and the new contracts will be safeguarded under the ownership of the Navantia UK, the sudden financial uncertainty will leave many businesses in the Harland and Wolff supply chain in a precarious position. This will be a hammer-blow to those companies with some owed significant sums.
I urge all involved parties, including the new owners and relevant authorities, to engage urgently and find ways to mitigate the impact on our local supply chain. Supporting these businesses is critical to maintaining their viability and the completion of the contract.”