The Conservatives’ economic spokesman has claimed further evidence of Northern Ireland’s struggling economy proves the Stormont Executive “simply doesn’t grasp the basics of creating jobs and building a thriving private sector”.
Johnny Andrews said that reports from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Nevin Economic Research Institute both show the effects of a region “continuing to struggle with the effects of an unsustainable reliance on the public sector, to the detriment of enterprise and entrepreneurship”.
“These reports show higher poverty levels, lower employment and lower wages than elsewhere in the UK, or the Republic of Ireland”, Johnny explained. “While the economy grew in other regions, in Northern Ireland it shrank toward the end of 2015. Quite simply, we’re being left behind, because the Executive hasn’t got to grips with issues around competitiveness, infrastructure, energy prices and red tape, which business leaders have been pointing out consistently year after year.
This decline in competitiveness was most notable 2008-2014 under the watch of the new current First Minister as Enterprise Minister. Northern Ireland remains unhealthily reliant on the public sector and the Executive doesn’t have the vision or the responsibility to properly back an enterprise culture and the creation of sustainable private-sector jobs.”
On almost every important issue, Stormont has a record of inaction. We don’t have a pipeline of shovel-ready projects to exploit infrastructure funds, the panel to tackle high energy costs has ground to a halt and recommendations for cutting red tape were never implemented. Likewise, the Executive has not tackled segregation in our society, which costs almost £1 billion per year and stunts our economy. The forthcoming cut to Corporation Tax was hard won, and it will improve Northern Ireland’s economic prospects, but we will not fulfil our potential if the Executive ignores other long-standing problems.
The next Assembly needs to take action on competitiveness and commit genuinely to putting jobs and prosperity first. The best way to ensure that outcome is to vote for Conservative candidates who understand the importance of the private sector and inculcating a culture of enterprise in Northern Ireland.”