Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster told delegates at the party conference that the only way to recover from our economic woes is to act, and act now; called on people to give their views on removing red tape from the workplace; and urged Tourism Ireland to start promoting Northern Ireland.
Here is the Minister’s speech.
“When the present economic downturn began it was the common expectation that the world economy would have recovered by now. It hasn’t.
The United Kingdom has endured a double dip recession. The Eurozone has stumbled from one crisis to the next. The United States of America with only weak growth is trying to negotiate itself off a fiscal cliff.
Costs are rising for all businesses, whether this is a shopkeeper, farmer or our largest companies such as Wrightbus or Bombardier.
Our traditional markets have either disappeared or become uneconomic for our businesses to continue to supply. And most of all, access to affordable finance from most of the banks in Northern Ireland has all but disappeared.
When I visit a company faced with major redundancies or closure the pain from the shop floor to the boardroom is palpable.
People are fearful for their today and worried about the future. What I offer them is help for today and hope for tomorrow.
We don’t have the luxury of sitting about criticising others. We have to act.
A constituent said to me just this week, some people will always curse the dark whereas others light a candle. We in this party will always look for solutions. We will light the candle.
We have reduced the rates burden on small businesses with 3500 more businesses included a few weeks ago.
We will look at how the benefit to local companies of government procurement can be maximised especially for small companies.
In these times of hardship, we are spending more than ever on small business through Invest NI’s Boosting Business Scheme.
We established the Jobs Fund which has promoted three thousand five hundred new jobs, one thousand seven hundred and fifty of these have already been created.
From outside Northern Ireland four hundred and fifty eight million pounds of investment has been committed with eight thousand six hundred potential new jobs.
I believe that our target of twenty five thousand new jobs with an investment commitment of over one billion pounds by 2015 will be achieved.
Where banks have failed to provide affordable finance to companies Government has stepped in with an access to finance strategy which will deliver over one hundred million pounds to companies. These funds are designed to provide in many cases unsecured finance to help local companies expand, grow and provide more employment opportunities.
No matter what we do we strive to do more. That is why last month we announced our two hundred million pound jobs package.
We will fast track processes to encourage more investments; provide higher levels of support to employers for jobs filled by disadvantaged workers including long term unemployed; a new finance voucher to help business access the specialist support they need to grow their business; and additional capital spend to deliver capital projects which will drive tourism.
Red-tape is persistently raised as a barrier to more jobs. I stand ready to listen and act on red tape but let us be clear what the DUP seeks is smart regulation not no regulation.
So I call on the business organisations, I call on the trade unions, I call on the ordinary working man and woman: What rules should go? What should stay? What rules should be simplified? Let us work together to our common aim of more jobs in safe and respectful workplaces.
As we look beyond the present difficulties we work for our better future. Any place which wants to earn its living has to earn it in the global market. For most of its existence Northern Ireland has earned its living in the global market. As I travel across Northern Ireland and as I work with local companies to secure new business across the world I see a better future.
We do have the spirit, we do have the potential and we do have the ability to earn our living in the world again. Northern Ireland can and will succeed on the world stage.
Last week Peter and I took Ulster’s wares to China and they liked them. Over the last year Invest Northern Ireland has extended its presence into 27 markets throughout the globe and arranged over 50 trade missions and international exhibitions.
As part of playing on the world stage we must innovate and invest in research and development. Spending on Research and Development is at its highest ever in Northern Ireland. This will help to build our reputation as a region of excellence and will provide and increase the number of well paid jobs for our people.
Also we need to be competitive.The battle to reduce the level of corporation tax here in Northern Ireland still continues. I believe that Northern Ireland has made a strong and compelling case to have the level reduced to 10% in Northern Ireland. We have won the argument now it requires a political decision from David Cameron.
On tourism we have built it and they have come. The Titanic Project and Giants Causeway centre were delivered on time and within budget. Over 900 thousand visitors have gone through both of these attractions since they were opened earlier in the summer, with the majority of these visitors coming from outside Northern Ireland.
And we intend that they keep coming in 2013. The World Police and Fire Games and the First ever UK City of Culture in Londonderry are going to be massive events in Northern Ireland attracting thousands of visitors to our Country for the first time. Not only are these events designed to bring new visitors to Northern Ireland but they are also aimed at showing Northern Ireland in its true light and building pride in our people.
And ladies and gentlemen as if all that wasn’t enough we now have the g8 summit coming to a place near you! The leaders of the world will be enjoying good old Ulster hospitality when the G8 summit is held in the Lough Erne golf resort in Co Fermanagh. What a wonderful shop window on the world.
Northern Ireland will be strutting its stuff on the global stage. We will show what Our wee country has to offer for tourists, for businesses and for investors.
As we promote ourselves around the globe I can tell you we have many friends. Last week I was delighted that our Party leader launched Northern Irish Connections in Hong Kong. This organisation has been set up to enable our diaspora to strengthen links with home; create opportunities and build partnerships. We want to build a Northern Ireland network right across the world and it has already begun.
With that network in mind we must ensure that our agencies are fit for purpose and act in unison.
Today I want to announce that I am going to review the Northern Ireland Tourist Board to ensure that there is a greater alignment between what this organisation does and the work of Invest NI.
It is also vital that Tourism Ireland starts to promote Northern Ireland as a part of the United Kingdom on the island of Ireland. For too long officialdom has been afraid to promote Northern Ireland as a country with all its rich cultures and traditions.”
