Northern Ireland seeks to woo investors
Northern Ireland holds a major investment conference for U.S. firms this week as it seeks to attract foreign businesses to the province.
G7 will do all needed for stability says DarlingA year after Catholic and Protestant political foes put aside decades of hostility and agreed to share power in a regional government, attention is focused on opening the economy and luring foreign funds, especially in financial services.
Following are excerpts from an interview with Northern Ireland's Economy Minister Nigel Dodds.
Q: How has Northern Ireland's economy changed, particularly since the Good Friday (1998 peace) Agreement-
A: Over that period of time, we have seen a big drop in terms of the people who are unemployed. We still have issues in terms of the relatively small size of the private sector compared to the public sector.
Q: Has there been a peace dividend-
A: There is no doubt that Northern Ireland is now seen as being open for business. I think the major impediment to people considering Northern Ireland was first and foremost peoples' fears about security and stability.
I think we have seen a realisation now that with the tailing off of violence and its end, and with the creation of a stable, devolved administration back in May last year, people now see a major opportunity.
Q: Are you primarily targeting U.S. investment-
A: We are targeting investment wherever the opportunities arise in those sectors that we are particularly interested in and believe we can offer a viable proposition.
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