The Construction Industry Federation has said the Government's supplementary budget has the potential to make things worse rather than better.
The Federation's Director General, Tom Parlon, said the focus appeared to be on taxes and cuts which - in his view - is entirely the wrong thing to do in a recession.
An emergency meeting of the country's major construction employers has identified infrastructure spending as the key to saving jobs, increasing exchequer revenues and ultimately providing a platform for economic recovery.
At today's emergency meeting in Dublin, the CIF urged the Government to reinstatement all its cancelled ready to go labour intensive infrastructure projects in the National Development Plan. It also called on the Government to simplify existing Public Private Partnership arrangements as well as overhaul public procurement procedures.
The CIF wants the introduction of a 'substantial' first time buyers grant for a limited time period, as well as a residential stamp duty 'holiday' for home buyers - again for a limited time period.
It also wants the Government to meet its own commitments in relation to agreements to buy houses for social and affordable use.
'Research shows that very €100m spend on construction projects creates 1,000 jobs and generates nearly €50m for the exchequer through income, taxes and social welfare spending,' commented Mr Parlon.
Building conditions worsen, says survey
Ulster Bank's monthly survey of the construction sector shows that conditions in the industry worsened again in February.
The Ulster Bank Construction PMI recorded 28.2, up slightly from January's 25.7 but still well below the 50 mark with separates growth from contraction.
For the second consecutive month, commercial building activity fell more sharply than either housing or civil engineering. The commercial index was 26.2, while housing recorded 26.4 and civil engineering 33.1.
But Ulster Bank economist Pat McArdle said civil activity was likely to fall further as the Government's capital spending programme came under increasing pressure.
On the plus side, the cost of raw materials and sub-contractor rates are at records low since the survey began in 2000, but the monthly reading on employment showed the second steepest decline in the survey's history.
