FIRST MINISTER TOLD LISBURN IS WELL PLACED TO WEATHER RECESSION
FIRST Minister Peter Robinson has been told that despite the economic downturn, Lisburn is well placed to weather the storm.
He received the message during a visit to the city last Friday morning to attend the Lisburn Chamber of Commerce Business Breakfast.
Chamber President Ivan Conner, welcomed Mr Robinson and reiterated the support of the Chamber for the recently commissioned city centre masterplan. He said they hoped its findings would go a considerable way to addressing the challenges which the city centre faces.
During the meeting the Chamber welcomed the news that the Sprucefield development will be going to a public inquiry.
The President added that whilst the Chamber was disappointed the national stadium is not now to be located at the Maze, he hoped the Assembly would view the site as a landmark one and that its subsequent development would be such of significance that benefit would derive not only to the immediate Lisburn area but to the Province as a whole.
The First Minister was also told the relocation of the Coca Cola Ireland operation to Lissue was seen as a strong indication of Lisburn being a place with a strong work ethic and sound family offering for schools, shops etc.
However, he was also asked by some of the members what the Executive could do to help firms which were struggling because of the downturn.
Mr Robinson said it represented an 'enormous challenge' to governments and administrations across the world and Northern Ireland was not immune from the problems.
"Today, however, devolution offers a real opportunity for local people to tailor a response to the difficulties that are being faced" he said.
"The Budget and the Programme for Government that the Assembly and Executive agreed last year made the economy our top priority. I have no doubt that this was the right thing to do.
"It placed Northern Ireland in the right lane to deal with the present downturn."
He added: "Assembly Members are used to lobbying for additional resources for one department or another but before that process should commence I am challenging them to revisit where we are already spending money and ask if that is the best use of resources.
"At a time that the private sector is under enormous pressure I believe that the public sector must be seen to make its contribution.
"One of the benefits of devolution must be our capacity to react quickly to difficult circumstances.
"We cannot control world economic conditions but we can ensure that we act in a way to limit the damage they have on our economy.
"I believe the package of measures announced by the Finance Minister in December when combined with the actions that were already in place represented a good start but we must maintain our focus in the difficult period ahead," he concluded.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
