Stability vital for business boost says Reg Empey

Northern Ireland’s economy needs a period of political stability if devolution is to start delivering concrete results for business, Stormont enterprise minister Sir Reg Empey claimed today.

Northern Ireland’s economy needs a period of political stability if devolution is to start delivering concrete results for business, Stormont enterprise minister Reg Empey claimed today.

On the eve of his visit to China and the Ulster Unionist Party’s crucial ruling council meeting at Belfast’s Waterfront Hall, Minister Empey said the North needed a period where the new political institutions could operate properly.

With hard-liners in his party pressing for a fresh deadline of February for the completion of IRA decommissioning, the UUP minister claimed there had been ‘‘fairly good feedback’’ from the international business community about the recent restoration of a fully functional devolved government at Stormont.

But he added: ‘‘I think the political distractions we have had have caused first of all a degree of disquiet in the business community.

‘‘First of all, we have had these periods of interruption and all the negative politics that goes on in the run up to them.

‘‘Then we have had very negative stuff such as the North Belfast situation which was calamitous internationally and Drumcree which we still have hanging over us.

‘‘Those have been playing out negatively in international markets because everyone sees CNN.

‘‘We have to work at solving these problems and hopefully, we are beginning to make some progress and I particularly hope people can redouble their efforts in the Portadown situation because solving that would be a huge boost to the economy.

‘‘On a personal level, I must say it is frustrating to see the amount of one’s own time that is taken up dealing with these problems because it takes you away from your work which is very important work.

‘‘What we need now is a period of political stability, so we can start delivering concrete results for society.’’

Looking ahead, Mr Empey said his officials were proceeding with the creation of the new super-economic agency, Invest Northern Ireland by April of next year.

With a shadow board to Invest Northern Ireland set up, he indicated further people would be appointed in a new recruitment drive once the legislation is finalised.

Applications from women, Minister Empey said, would be especially welcome because there was a poor response from them in the previous recruitment drive.

The minister also signalled that those who failed to get appointed in the first round of appointments would be reconsidered without having to apply again.

The economy minister indicated legislation was also being planned for the energy market, with both his department and the Electricity Regulator very much fixed on the high price of utilities in Northern Ireland.

A new consumer strategy was also being developed.

However the minister also said he believed that the ‘‘full impact’’ of September 11’s events had yet to be felt.

‘‘A lot has to do with sentiment and the Americans are very nervous.

‘‘We have a shooting war going on at the moment.

‘‘With tourism, there is a huge challenge there. We have had a very difficult year with the foot-and-mouth crisis and the impact of September 11.

‘‘The experience of the Gulf War will indicate it is going to take three years for the Americans to settle down. So we are going to have refocus our marketing not just on GB but Europe.

‘‘With the establishment of Tourism Ireland, I would hope that we will be able to develop a meaningful strategy on tourism.’’

Minister Empey was speaking as he prepared to join a trade mission involving 27 Northern Ireland companies to China.

The Industrial Development Board led mission has been in Hong Kong and Shanghai and will be joined by the minister in Beijing.