Arlene Foster
Fermanagh and South Tyrone · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Yet, like too many projects, it has been tied up in legal wrangles. Too many infrastructure projects are being swallowed up in the courts. We need to improve the expertise in infrastructure delivery. We need better infrastructure for the next generation, but key projects being delayed by 10-plus years is unsustainable.”
“Any agreement involves compromises but NDNA had two central pillars that, I believe, remain important: ambition for devolution and a new cultural deal. The breadth and depth of issues that NDNA set us all to deliver on would have been enough to fill an entire term or perhaps more, let alone two years of government.”
“That confidence-and-supply agreement will leave a legacy but also highlights our challenges. Some £150 million has been rolled out via Project Stratum to bring broadband to rural areas and leave Northern Ireland as the best-connected region in Europe. When it is completed, the project will be transformational to our economy.”
“However, such short-term advantage comes at the cost of long-term harm to relationships. It is not a real partnership. Imbalance and instability are built in that will fester and deteriorate. If Brussels continues to think that the protocol is enough, it is in denial.”
“Colleagues inside and outside the House know very well that all periods of leadership must come to an end. That is why, when we are privileged and, indeed, honoured to hold such a position, we must not waste a moment in frivolous brinkmanship but forge ahead on behalf of those whom we represent.”
“The recommendations of the Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition (FICT) are to be taken forward as well. I encourage all of you to do all of it, to take it forward in its totality and to speak of and implement it as one complete, independent package: a new cultural deal for Northern Ireland's new century.”
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“There had been no significant change in the energy prices at the time of the survey, so that would indicate the impact that fuel costs have on businesses in both jurisdictions. <BR /> <BR />The Council noted InterTradeIreland's annual report and accounts for 2013, which were certified by the Comptrollers and Auditors General and laid before the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Houses of the Oireachtas. <BR /> <BR />The Council agreed that the next trade and business development meeting should be held in autumn 2015. I commend the statement to the Assembly.”
“The Council heard that the complexity and scale of public-sector contracts was increasing and was supportive of the work being undertaken by InterTradeIreland through its consortia facilitation service. The body works closely with SMEs that are considering collaboration as a means of taking advantage of the opportunities and that support the development of successful partnerships. By supporting indigenous SMEs to exploit that market, InterTradeIreland will promote public tendering as a route to export markets. <BR /> <BR />Colleagues will be interested to note that InterTradeIreland's business monitor survey for the fourth quarter of 2014, which reflects the views of the SME community in both jurisdictions, found that energy costs had dropped down the order of issues exercising businesses.”
“I invited InterTradeIreland to liaise with the Agri-Food Strategy Board (AFSB) and seek its views on potential areas of research of interest to the industry. <BR /> <BR />The Council received an update on InterTradeIreland's strategic priorities and key activities planned for 2015. Those include increasing joint applications to Horizon 2020; assisting SMEs to access finance for growth; exploring the use of additional funding streams to increase SMEs' capacity; and assisting SMEs to access the public-procurement market. <BR /> <BR />The Council recognised the importance of public-sector contracts to SMEs in both jurisdictions and was encouraged to hear that 66% of public-sector contracts in the Republic of Ireland and 80% of those in Northern Ireland went to SMEs from both jurisdictions.”
“Equally, although the success rate for proposals submitted to the NIH was 14%, slightly lower than the standard success rate of 16%, that represented a significant achievement. The success rates for the partnership projects are testament to the international standard of research carried out in both jurisdictions. <BR /> <BR />Minister Bruton and I recognise the benefits that participation in the US-Ireland R&D Partnership brings. InterTradeIreland was asked to track how many of those post holders end up supporting or working in industry in order that they can transfer the knowledge and experience gained. I welcome and support the partnership's expansion into research collaboration at a centre-to-centre level. <BR /> <BR />Ministers welcomed the work being undertaken by the partnership to expand its scope to include agrifood research.”
“The Council was particularly impressed that, for proposals submitted to NSF, the success rate for projects involving institutions in Ireland and Northern Ireland was 38%, compared to the standard success rate of 18% for projects from within the United States.”
“It was noted that, up to January 2015, a total of 19 projects had been awarded £23·7 million and had brought together over 60 investigators from universities and institutes in Northern Ireland, Ireland and the United States. Ministers noted that the research undertaken through the partnership meets the gold standard of the United States' National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) peer review system. In this regard, the projects supported were recognised internationally as world-leading. <BR /> <BR />The collaborative research projects involved are subject to the highly competitive National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health peer review systems.”
“It was noted that €71 million of the INTERREG Va programme is to be allocated to research and innovation and that officials are looking closely at opportunities for cooperation in this area. <BR /> <BR />Ministers recognised the benefits to be gained through participation in collaborative European projects, welcomed the collaboration between bodies and officials in each jurisdiction, and encouraged officials to continue to seek new opportunities for European funding for projects. <BR /> <BR />The Council received a presentation on the US Ireland R&D partnership, which reflected the world-class nature of the ongoing work.”
“Those seven projects will have an economic value of €8·8 million for successful cross-border Horizon 2020 collaboration. The Council noted the high level of demand for Horizon 2020 funding from across Europe, but was encouraged by the fact that the success rate for cross-border proposals of 16% was higher than the average EU rate of 14%. <BR /> <BR />The Council noted that officials were continuing to investigate opportunities for cooperation on EU business and enterprise funding, including under Horizon 2020, INTERREG Va, and possibly the Juncker initiative and the competitiveness of enterprises and small and <BR />medium-sized enterprises (COSME) programme.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Council noted that both jurisdictions had agreed a joint target of €175 million for drawdown under Horizon 2020 and welcomed the support structures that have been put in place to deliver on this target, including the continued work of the all-island Horizon 2020 steering group, which is chaired by InterTradeIreland; the launch of the Horizon 2020 strategic action plan; and the work of the contact point networks in each jurisdiction. The Council was advised that InterTradeIreland had identified, and will be taking forward, additional activities in conjunction with the all-island steering group to deliver on this target. <BR /> <BR />The Council was encouraged by the early results from Horizon 2020, including 45 cross-border applications submitted to the programme, with seven being successful.”
“It was also noted that InterTradeIreland had continued to carry out business and economic research activities, including production of a report entitled 'SMEs, Credit constraints and Growth — A Cross Border Study', the production of InterTradeIreland's quarterly business monitor survey, and undertaking research into the issue of mapping the potential for cross-border clusters and clustering. The Council approved InterTradeIreland's 2015 business plan and recommended that the 2015 budget/grant provision for InterTradeIreland should be £8,746,440.”
“<BR /> <BR />The Council received a presentation from Martin Cronin, the chairperson, and Thomas Hunter McGowan, CEO, on InterTradeIreland's performance and business activities, including information on performance against its 2014 business plan target. The Council noted the positive performance of InterTradeIreland during 2014, including creating and maintaining 1,881 jobs; delivering a 10:1 return on investment; assisting 64 first-time innovators; assisting 127 first-time exporters; delivering 4% efficiency savings; and delivering a total business value of £67 million. <BR /> <BR />The Council noted that there was strong demand across all InterTradeIreland's programmes during 2014.”
“With your permission, Mr Speaker, I wish to make a statement in compliance with section 52 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 regarding a meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in trade and business development sectoral format. This meeting was held in the offices of the North/South Ministerial Council, Armagh, on Thursday 5 March 2015. The Executive were represented by me in my capacity as Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and by John O'Dowd MLA, Minister of Education. The Irish Government were represented by Richard Bruton TD, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. This statement has been agreed with Minister O'Dowd.”
“He was a gentleman; he was a leader of utmost integrity. He was a man who genuinely cared about Northern Ireland and its place in the United Kingdom, and he was a fabulous parliamentarian. I pass on my deepest sympathy and prayerful support to his sister-in-law Agnes and to his two nephews and niece.”
“He was interesting because of his life story, his wartime service, his UK national view of politics and because of those very famous anecdotes that he used to tell. <BR /> <BR />He was a great encourager to me personally when he was leader of the UUP and, indeed, later when he was Baron Molyneaux of Killead. He could see the shortcomings of the Belfast Agreement when others could not. He was a superb grass-roots campaigner; when canvassing with Jim, it was always a struggle to keep up. He always managed to survive a day of canvassing sustained only by a packet of Polo mints. <BR /> <BR />Most of all, today, I mourn his passing because he was a friend who gave advice when he was asked and a friend who often made me laugh. He had a mischievous, dry sense of humour, and I consider it a great honour to have known Jim Molyneaux personally.”
“I feel very privileged today to pay tribute to a man for whom I have the utmost admiration — James H Molyneaux, the Baron Molyneaux of Killead, KBE, PC. Many of us knew that Jim's time was short on this earth, but, still, when the news came this morning, it came as a very heavy blow to those of us who knew and loved him. It is fitting that his death came on Commonwealth Day because he spent so much of his time upholding the values of the Commonwealth. <BR /> <BR />The first memories that I have of Jim are back at the time of the Anglo-Irish Agreement — the great betrayal — when I was just 15. I was a young unionist and enjoyed very much being in his company because he was very good company. He was interesting and was interested in you as an individual as well.”
“<BR /> <BR />My goodness, what a fabulous event the Giro d'Italia was, right along the Causeway Coast and glens. <BR /> <BR />I make this plain: Mr Dickson said that we needed to work in a collaborative way to do all that is best for East Antrim, and I could not agree more. There really is a need for MLAs, the new super-councils, the MP and all the bodies to work collaboratively to make the most of East Antrim. It has a very good story to tell, and I am pleased that we were able to talk a little about it today.”
“, but I did it. That is what a Minister has to do: take risks. Anyway, I believe that it will be a tremendous enhancement to the offering. When tourists come for the Gobbins path or the Giant's Causeway, they will experience the other fabulous sights along the glens. I have to say that there is more to be done in promoting the glens, and I hope that the new super-council will do that in conjunction with Invest Northern Ireland and Tourism NI. <BR /> <BR />I want to mention screen tourism quickly. It is, of course, a niche market for tourism in Northern Ireland, but East Antrim has very much played its part in that. The Magheramorne quarry was mentioned in relation to future tourism projects, but it has really played its part in screen tourism.”
“I recall going to the edge of a cliff with Mr Wilson to launch the Gobbins path. You may say that that was a very dangerous thing to do”
“I say to the Member that I agree with other Members who spoke tonight: it is important to portray the area positively. Yes, we have to deal with challenges in all our constituencies, but it is important that we talk about the positive parts of them. <BR /> <BR />I do not have much time left, but I want to talk about the tourism offering of the whole glens and the whole coastal road. The successful implementation of the Causeway Coast and Glens signature project includes developments all along that road. Obviously, the Giant's Causeway visitor centre is included; it is world-class. I agree with Mr Wilson when he says that the Gobbins path will be an outstanding tourism attraction for the area. It is something new, but, apart from that, it is absolutely stunning.”
“I was going to ask how I could possibly do that; I would have to declare it. He is right: he have been trying to work on that issue as well. <BR /> <BR />In relation to Mr McMullan's point about local economic development, there have been 10 initiatives undertaken by the local councils in conjunction with Invest Northern Ireland. They have made quite an impact right across that region. In fact, an investment of £1·5 million has gone into those local economic development initiatives, and I am hopeful that, again, when SEUPB brings out its new programme, the local economic development part will be able to develop as well. I say to the new super-council that it needs to step forward on economic development and make sure that it works alongside Invest Northern Ireland.”
“I thought that the Member was going to say, "Would I accept from him a gift from Steensons?"”
“I was proud to be with them and proud to support them because of their innovative way of doing business. The provenance and the story behind their salmon is very strong, and they are now exploring new markets in Hong Kong, Dubai, North America and China, and we will continue to support them to grow into the future.”
“That is more a telecoms issue — a mobile issue. I am more than happy to look at that issue. Indeed, I had a meeting with Vodafone, one of the mobile phone operators, today, and we talked about small communities not being able to access telecoms. Vodafone has rolled out a programme for small communities, and perhaps I could share that information with any of the Members here, so that they can approach Vodafone to take that forward. <BR /> <BR />The jobs fund has played its part in East Antrim as well; it has promoted 481 jobs. Some of the indigenous companies have been very strong. We have talked a little about foreign direct investment, but I have to mention Glenarm Organic Salmon. I have been with them on trade missions, and the last one was in the Middle East last year.”
“It is probably too early to assess that, but the Member's point about having the appropriate infrastructure is very well made. Any constituency should not just look at the activities of Invest Northern Ireland to promote the constituency; people should look at the infrastructure to support the constituency. East Antrim is very blessed with the A2 and A8 works. I know that the Member sitting behind me has made comments about broadband recently, but broadband is an absolutely critical piece of infrastructure for moving into the 21st-century economy, and I will set out in clear terms the interventions that we are making on broadband as a Government so that everybody can assess how we are moving forward in that respect.”
“In East Antrim, for example, we have had 88 offers totalling £25 million of assistance to help companies to engage in research and development. That is a very important figure, because an area that engages in research and development is looking to the future for a sustainable economy. That is an important marker for that. <BR /> <BR />In relation to available land for economic development in East Antrim, Invest Northern Ireland holds approximately 144 acres of land. Just 21 acres remain available to support economic development in Carrick and Larne. Perhaps that is an issue that Members might want to look at in the future in conjunction with Invest Northern Ireland, and we are very willing to do so. We also proactively market the sites in Carrick and Larne to foreign and indigenous investors as investment locations. As with most —”
“Many people living in the region have benefited directly or indirectly from the new employment opportunities that Invest Northern Ireland is creating in conjunction with the companies. One example is Schrader Electronics, which is investing over £56 million, creating 240 new jobs in Carrickfergus and Antrim. Further, in June 2013, Terumo BCT, which is a global medical device manufacturer and a member of the Japanese-based Terumo Group family of companies, announced plans to create more than 400 new jobs in Larne. <BR /> <BR />Of course, Invest's help goes beyond job creation. It has many programmes and interventions aimed at improving the overall competitiveness of the economy right across Northern Ireland.”
“I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak about such a lovely area as East Antrim. I know that many in the Chamber are very passionate about their constituency area, and even people who are not from the constituency are passionate about the area. Mr Dallat, you have made me want to go and discover Glentaisie; it sounds absolutely fabulous. <BR /> <BR />Over the past five years, Invest Northern Ireland has made 733 offers of support to businesses in the constituency. That support amounted to £38 million in assistance and will lead to an associated total investment of £137 million. It has also led to the promotion of over 1,250 new jobs across the constituency, including those from the regional start initiative.”
“I certainly do not want the economic inactivity strategy to be characterised by process. I want it characterised by action, because there is no point in having an inactivity strategy if it is to be characterised by inactivity. So, let us get the actions happening on the ground and try to make a difference to those people.”
“The Minister for Employment and Learning and I have signed off on the plans, which will go to the Executive, I hope, this week. If not this week, they will be discussed at the next Executive meeting.”
“I am very hopeful that, in 10 to 15 years, the broadband infrastructure will be very mature. I have often said in the House that we should be looking not only at fixed-line broadband but at mobile applications, because the mobile infrastructure needs to be in place. More and more people are using handheld devices as opposed to the traditional fixed-line connection. I note that Vodafone very recently set up three rural connectivity pilots in Donemana, Killeter and Pomeroy. I will meet Vodafone in the very near future and look forward to hearing how broadband is being developed in those three areas.”
“I am very happy to answer that in relation to Fermanagh and South Tyrone. The Northern Ireland broadband improvement project is being rolled out, we have the superfast roll-out programme, and we also have the SuperConnected Cities programme in conjunction with DCMS. There are three current intervention programmes. I think that we will put more details on an A4 sheet and share that with colleagues so that they are clear about what is going on.”
“It is one of the reasons why we have been encouraging companies to look outside the eurozone for their export markets. We accept that they will still very much want to do business with their closest neighbour, but it is important that they look to new markets, because we realise that there are difficulties with the exchange rate at present.”
“The PMI is a snapshot at a particular time. I think that it was Richard Ramsey, the author of the PMI, who said that it was a "blip" at the time because, before that, the trend was upwards. I am very happy to take Richard Ramsey's advice on that matter.”
“I did hear tell of it. In fact, I was in the county town of Tyrone last night at a celebration with SMEs and the local council for their local economic development programmes, where 300 businesses had taken up council initiatives. I was really very pleased to see some of the work that was going on there, so I am very aware of the county town of Tyrone. <BR /> <BR />I very much want to have a conversation with MLAs about enterprise zones, because I think that there has been a bit of a misunderstanding. There is a very specific zone in Coleraine. It is a pilot scheme and it has been put in place by Her Majesty's Treasury. It is not in my gift, and we still have to see it brought into full action.”
“Absolutely. In mid-September, Invest NI placed an advertisement seeking expressions of interest from landowners. A total of 13 areas of land were offered. Following engagement with the DOE Planning Service, nine of those areas were ruled out due to the distance outside the Omagh settlement limit, a further two have been discounted as they were not received until after the deadline for submissions, and Invest NI is conducting a desktop exercise on the remaining two sites to determine their potential suitability for industrial development.”
“Absolutely. I can confirm that that is the case. Invest Northern Ireland works very closely with Bombardier's senior executives so that, if any issue arises, we are aware of it very quickly and can try to help in any way we can. We believe that Bombardier is a significant and structurally important part not just of east Belfast but of the Northern Ireland economy. We will continue, therefore, to give it the attention that it deserves.”
“Of course, we were disappointed to hear about further job losses among, what are called, temporary workers at Bombardier. I am looking forward to a meeting with senior management here in east Belfast. The Member had asked me previously if that was going to happen. I can confirm that that meeting is going to take place now. We will have discussions about the future of Bombardier. I do not want to prejudge the meeting, but the future — looking at the flight of the CSeries jet — looks very good. We are delighted to see another major milestone in Bombardier's CSeries aircraft programme because it is critical to the east Belfast plant, particularly in relation to the wings, which are constructed there. We look forward to continuing to work with Bombardier in the future.”
“I know that it will go from strength to strength. It is very much in a lot of people's diaries from year to year.”
“I am confident that it will, because it works very closely with Tourism Northern Ireland and, indeed, with Tourism Ireland in marketing outside of the island of Ireland. If the Member has any specific issues that he wants to raise with me, I am very happy to meet him to talk to him about them. However, I know that the air show — I cannot remember its name; is it Air Waves?”
“I thank the Member for his question. That is a very good example of how a locally organised event has continued to grow, year on year, and brought in international attention and acts to the north coast. I know for sure that it will continue to be an event that we will want to support in a tangible way through funding, but in other ways as well.”
“We have talked a lot about the grid today. Certainly, from my perspective, we will be looking at it to see if there is anything in energy infrastructure that we can augment or if there is anything more we can do in relation to the likes of energy storage or the energy grid. I am sure that colleagues will have other priorities.”
“I think that that is the Juncker fund. Am I right about that? As I understand it, my departmental officials are watching very closely what is going on with that. They have not had total clarity on how that is going to be rolled out, but a number of Departments in Northern Ireland will be interested, not least his party's Minister and the Department for Regional Development.”
“Absolutely, and especially when the facility is in the town centre. Of course, it will bring people into the town centre for the retail experience in Dungannon, as well as to visit coffee shops and what have you. Tourism jobs go right across Northern Ireland, and I think that that is something that we should always be aware of. The sector provides jobs right across Northern Ireland, and, of course, I hope that that will be the case in Dungannon.”
“The short answer is that I am, absolutely, given that we share a constituency, aware of the tourism potential of the Hill of the O'Neill and the Ranfurly centre. I have visited on a number of occasions. I am always impressed by the facility and the way in which it has been integrated into the town of Dungannon in a very nice way, I have to say, that can also draw people into the town centre. We know that, often, when large-scale installations are put in, they draw people out of town centres, but this is right in Dungannon town centre. Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council is to be commended for its work. I look forward to working with the Mid Ulster Council in the future.”
“Unfortunately, I do not have that detail in front of me. We hope to intervene for 45,000 homes. From memory, I think that we are in and around the 30,000 mark for interventions. I am certainly happy to follow it up with the Member in writing if he wishes me to do so.”
“I know that the Member has a particular interest in this programme; he has always been very faithful in asking me about it. Indeed, it is going very well. Those areas that have already had the intervention report very good successes. If the Member has a particular area that he wants me to look at, I will certainly feed those postcodes in to see whether, first of all, they are on the programme and then what the timescale is for implementation.”
“I think that we need to deal with the power that, hopefully, we will have by the end of this parliamentary term. We know that the Bill is going through its stages in the House of Commons and House of Lords and, as I understand it, should be finished its legislative journey towards the middle of March. Then, we will be able to move forward and make the most of that power when we agree a rate and a date for implementation and we can take forward all the evidence. One of the points that Mr Allister raised was the fact that we had not looked at comparable areas on corporation tax. We have, of course, had that work completed for us. I am sure that if he looks at the work carried out by the Northern Ireland Centre for Economic Policy — now the Ulster Business School — he will see that work there.”
“As regards rushing into our support for the lowering of corporation tax, my goodness, this has been around since devolution came back in 2007. I do not call that rushing into a decision. The entire business community, from the Federation of Small Businesses right up to the CBI, is in support of this policy development. I say to the Member that he may not wish to move forward and have ambition for Northern Ireland moving into the future, but I do. I want Northern Ireland to become a powerhouse; I want it to become what I know it can become and has great potential to become. I am sure that other Members have ambition for Northern Ireland as well. That is where I sit.”
“On the latter part of the question, we discussed the lowering of corporation tax with JTI Gallaher — he would expect me to do that — but, because of the tax system in Japan, it would not have benefited from the lower rate in Northern Ireland. We did of course look at that in great detail.”
“The latest research that was commissioned by my Department, which takes into account the costs and benefits of reduced corporation tax, continues to demonstrate a strong economic case for Northern Ireland.”