NI must grasp investment opportunities with both hands – O’Neill

Jonathan McCambridge, PA

Northern Ireland must “grasp with both hands” the opportunities being created by a major investment summit, Michelle O’Neill has said.

But the Sinn Féin vice president said that in addition to the economy working, the DUP needed to end its blockade of Stormont to make politics work.

A number of political leaders attended the summit in Belfast, which is being attended by more than 200 investors and businesses from around the world.

Ms O’Neill said: “It is great to be here at the investment conference.

“It is clearly a huge opportunity for us in terms of creating jobs, better-paid jobs.

“This conference comes hot on the heels of the Good Friday Agreement anniversary events which brought all this international attention to this part of the world.

“This is about creating opportunity for local people, and we must grasp it with both hands and in tandem with making the economy work is making politics work.”

“This is a great place to invest, and we have a great story to tell.”

Ms O’Neill said Northern Ireland could take advantage of the benefits of the Windsor Framework, which offers access to both the UK and EU markets.

She said: “The Windsor Framework has been done.

“That door is closed, it is now time to take the opportunity that rolls from that.

“We are now the gateway to Europe, we have access to both markets. We must capitalise on that.”

“But the politics should work in tandem with growing the economy.

“The DUP need to end their blockade, they need to get into the executive with the rest of us and take these opportunities that we have.

“There is tremendous opportunity here. We have to capitalise on access to both markets.

“We have an attentive international audience. These opportunities shouldn’t be missed.”

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson missed the start of the conference, but denied there was any significance in his late arrival at the venue in Belfast.

He said: “My colleague Gordon Lyons, who is our former economy minister, has been here all morning representing the party.

“I had some other engagements in my constituency to attend to. I am here now.”

Sir Jeffrey continued: “I am delighted to be here at this investment summit, it is good for Northern Ireland that we are seeing many people here.

“I was here last night talking to many of the delegates attending.

“It is great to see their interest in Northern Ireland and we will continue to work with the government and others to make sure that we put forward the case for people to invest in Northern Ireland.

“Ultimately our strongest selling point is our people.”