It has emerged that more than 30 people have lost their jobs at a fish processing facility in Co Down.

The bad news has been revealed for staff at the Euro Shellfish (Parkgate Foods Limited) plant in Portavogie.

About 10 staff members are set to stay for the next three weeks while the firm is closed down.

The company has been supplying the wholesale and food service sector with scampi for more than 25 years.

Commenting, the Alliance Strangford representative Kieran McCarthy said: "This is really bad news for the fishing sector. It has been facing trouble recently and this latest closure will really hit local people hard.

"If action is not taken by the Executive to ensure that support is provided for our local fishing boats then I fear for its future.

"Fishing has a proud tradition right along the Co Down coast and sustains many jobs. If more jobs go then it will have a really bad effect on the fishing communities," he said, this morning.

The economic blow comes soon after another politician, the SDLP Lagan Valley Assembly candidate Pat Catney said the coming election could be the first to be fought primarily on economic issues.

Yesterday, he said: "We are deep in recession and all the indications are that we will stay there longer than other parts of these islands.

"We are facing at least four years of austerity and public spending cuts that will hit hard-working people in their pockets as never before.

"People are interested in the economy, they are asking us about it on the doorsteps," he insisted, noting that the SDLP has put the economy at the heart of the campaign.

"We need proactive strategies in place to create more potential for employment and investment," he said.

(BMcC/GK)