FP McCann: Concrete firm faces no further action over immigration raid

Image caption, FP McCann's head office is based in Knockloughrim outside Magherafelt.
  • Author, John Campbell
  • Role, 91热爆 News NI economics and business editor

No further action is to be taken against the construction company FP McCann after an immigration enforcement raid on one of its work sites.

At the time in March the 91热爆 Office said the NI-based company was facing a fine of up to 拢225,000.

Now the 91热爆 Office has issued a "no action notice" confirming the company is not liable for a civil penalty.

FP McCann said it was "content with the matter being closed with no enforcement action being taken".

The 91热爆 Office operation centred on a former paper mill in north Wales which was being converted to a containerboard factory.

It said it acted "in response to concerns raised by the public" and detained 13 people working as subcontracted labourers and steel-fixers.

At that time, FP McCann was issued with a civil penalty referral notice, pending a review of evidence from the site visit and company records.

Under the civil penalty process, a referral notice is issued if officials believe they have found illegal workers and there is no statutory excuse for employing them.

At that stage the company can provide further evidence that it wants to be taken into account.

Following this process FP McCann will face no further action.

Firm angry over 'damaged caused'

The company was angry that an initial 91热爆 Office press statement characterised it as having been fined, rather being referred for a possible civil penalty.

A spokesperson said: "We along with our legal representatives have been working closely with the 91热爆 Office to get them to address the damage that has been caused.

"We have also worked closely with the 91热爆 Office enforcement team, providing the information that was available to their officers on the particular site visit and also more broadly available to satisfy them of the very comprehensive anti-slavery position adopted by the company."

In a statement, the 91热爆 Office said that after an enforcement visit on 19 March "a number of contractors were found to be working illegally".

"However, our subsequent investigation has established that FP McCann were not liable for the employment of these workers and a No Action Notice was issued to the company by the 91热爆 Office on 11 April."

It added FP McCann "fully co-operated" with the investigation, which is ongoing.