Finola Fegan and Catherine McCartan (pictured) of Fegan & McCartan m&e building services engineers have been recognised by Irish prime minister, Bertie Ahern, for services to health projects in the Irish Republic.

Their practice actively encourages women to take up engineering by offering work placements to female students.

The practice was set up in 1995 and is based in Newry in Northern Ireland.

It recently completed the government headquarters for the Cross Border Trade and Business Body, set up under the Good Friday agreement.

Fegan and McCartan studied building services at the University of Ulster.