The Health and Safety Authority is to meet with representatives of the construction industry in the New Year to discuss safety on building sites.
Figures released today showed that 21 people died in construction-related accidents in 2001, compared to 18 last year.
HSA director general Tom Beegan said this increase is unacceptable. "We're examining the reasons behind these accidents and we are having discussions with the main stakeholders in the construction industry early next week to discuss this issue and to see what we can do that we're not presently doing," he said.