The Northern Ireland Executive will hold three public meetings in June as part of its review of opportunities for public private partnerships (PPPs) in the region.
The meetings will take place in Belfast on June 18th, Derry on June 19th and Dungannon on June 27th, and will give members of the public an opportunity to examine the issues raised by PPPs.
Among the issues understood to be causing greatest concern is any possible transfer of public sector workers or functions from the public sector to the private sector as part of the PPP process.
"Public-sector organisations such as trade unions would be very anxious that any PPP projects entered into would not run the risk of disadvantaging existing public- sector workers," according to Mr Colin Ross, principal information officer at the Department of Finance and Personnel in the Northern Ireland Executive.
The executive started a review in September 2001 into the use of PPPs in Northern Ireland for future development and it is examining the possibility of setting up a strategic investment body to administer PPP funding.
To date, public authorities in Northern Ireland have procured 25 projects under PPP agreements with a combined capital value of more than £170 million sterling (€263 million).
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