Robinson: US firms will continue to invest in North

US President Barack Obama’s desire to keep jobs within the United States will not impact on American investment in Northern Ireland, Stormont’s First Minister predicted today.

Peter Robinson said he was confident the new administration would continue to encourage US businesses to set up in the region despite concerns it would adopt a more protectionist stance.

The DUP leader made the comments to the Assembly as it was confirmed he and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will be meeting Barack Obama during St Patrick’s day celebrations at the White House later this month.

The ministers will also be using their trip across the Atlantic to meet with key corporate executives to make sure companies with operations in the North do not pull the plug.

Mr Robinson told MLAs that he was he sure President Obama would support continued US expansion into the North.

“On a previous visit (to meet former President George Bush in Washington) the Deputy First Minister and I did speak about the issue of protectionism and I think we were encouraged by what we heard,” he said.

“I am pretty sure that the direction of the new president in terms of encouraging investment in Northern Ireland will be just as strong and committed as his predecessors.”

The East Belfast MP made the claim during an assembly question on a new US envoy for the region.

Ambassador Paula Dobriansky vacated the position when Mr Obama was inaugurated and while the new president has signalled his intention to appoint a replacement he has not yet done so.

Mr Robinson said the decision was solely a matter for the US government.

“The executive has not been consulted about the appointment of a special envoy,” he told the assembly.

“The Obama administration has made it clear that it recognises the importance of appointing someone to take over the role which ambassador Paula Dobriansky filled until the inauguration of the new president on the 20th of January.

“Such a decision falls entirely within the discretion of the president in consultation with the US secretary of state (Hillary Clinton). The decision on who is appointed is therefore entirely a matter for the American government.”

Earlier the First minister stressed the importance of reassuring US investors on his forthcoming visit to the east coast.

“The United States has major interests in Northern Ireland which will no doubt be among the first to feel the knock on effects of the current recession,” he said.

“In this situation we are left with two stark choices, we either bury our heads in the sand and hope for the best or we open dialogue with the companies involved to see what can be done to secure jobs.”

Deputy First Minister McGuinness said it was vital the Stormont executive made its presence felt in the US.

“The recession began in America and so will the recovery,” said the Sinn Féin deputy leader.

“We must now more than ever have a visible presence in the United States.

“Recovery will come and we are determined that we will be prepared and best placed to take advantage of any upturn. The North remains an excellent investment opportunity and corporate America will have us at the forefront of their minds.”