Paddy Leonard, 27 Jan
SDLP Jobs and Economy spokesperson Sinéad McLaughlin MLA and South
Belfast MP Claire Hanna have met with the Interim Chief Executive of
Invest NI following the release of the independent review of the
organisation.
It follows the news that the Invest NI Chair appointment process will
soon begin with the tenure of Rose Mary Stalker coming to an end this
month.
Following the meeting, Foyle MLA Sinéad McLaughlin said: “I was pleased
to meet with the Interim Chief Executive of Invest NI Mel Chittock to
make clear that the damning findings of the independent review must be
acted upon without delay. In particular, I pressed him and the team on
the need to do much better for areas like the North-West, including
through sub-regional targets.
"I took the opportunity to reiterate my strong view that such targets
are necessary to rebalance our economy and bring the jobs and
investment that is so badly needed to those communities that have been
left behind.
“The many failings of the organisation over several years have
seriously damaged confidence in Invest NI in the North-West and the
recent findings of the independent review confirmed what many of us had
been calling out for years, that Invest NI had become much too
Belfast-centric and was making virtually no difference to the living
standards of the people that I represent.
"Worse still, the abject failures of the organisation were being
allowed to unfold in plain sight under the purview of successive DUP
Ministers with deeply damaging consequences.
“However, as damning as the review’s conclusions were for the
leadership of Invest NI, the release of this report represents an
opportunity for our economy as we can now finally start to build an
organisation that is fit for purpose and delivers for all of our
communities across the North.
"We need to see transparency and accountability on the action plan that
is to be put in place by the Department for the Economy and Invest NI,
and the implementation of the many recommendations that will be key to
rebuilding public trust in this organisation.”
Claire Hanna MP said: "It is clear that Invest NI needs substantial and
profound change. This meeting was an opportunity to press the
organisation on the pace of that change and I was pleased that the
Chief Executive was able to discuss a number of the important issues in
detail, including how the organisation will begin to implement the
recommendations of the independent review.
“This moment of reform for Invest NI offers so much opportunity for our
economy as the organisation’s activity is core to the many pressing
economic issues that demand our attention.
"From the move to net-zero, to cross-border collaboration and the need
for good and well-paid jobs, Northern Ireland desperately needs an
economic development agency that is fit for purpose. The review
represents a vital step in rebuilding this organisation so we can begin
to address these challenges.”