Building and construction output fell in the first quarter of the year as residential building eased in the opening months of 2015.

The headline index fell by 2.6 per cent compared with the preceding three-month period, with residential building down 5.6 per cent. In contrast, the volume of civil engineering work rose by 7.9 per cent, with non-residential building up 1.3 per cent.

On a value basis, the index rose 1.8 per cent.

However, looking at the figures year on year, the volume of output rose by 1.4 per cent in the first quarter, with value up 7 per cent. That reflected a year-on-year increase of 21.8 per cent and 3.4 per cent respectively in residential building and non residential building work.