Letter: Northern Ireland is lagging behind Great Britain without any freeports - Stormont parties should be demanding equal economic treatment,

In Wales, both Anglesey freeport and the Celtic freeport are already receiving substantial public funding and attracting major private sector interest.

Projects include energy infrastructure, floating offshore wind, cleaner steel production, science park expansion and industrial redevelopment.

Thousands of skilled jobs and billions of pounds in projected investment are now linked to these developments.

Scotland’s green freeports are similarly advancing large-scale regeneration.

The Forth Green freeport alone is projected to generate billions of pounds in economic impact alongside major employment growth through offshore wind manufacturing, logistics and port expansion.

Inverness and Cromarty Firth is positioning itself as a major North Sea energy-transition hub.

England’s freeports remain the largest in scale. Humber, Teesside, Thames and Liverpool City Region freeports are attracting £billions in investment tied to renewable energy, heavy industry, defence, advanced manufacturing and shipping infrastructure.

Across Great Britain, freeports are now unlocking long-stalled industrial land, modernising ports, attracting global investment and building long-term regional economic growth.

Northern Ireland has none.

Since the UK government first announced the freeport programme in October 2021, Northern Ireland has been excluded from arrangements now available elsewhere across the United Kingdom.

This leaves Northern Ireland at a growing competitive disadvantage in attracting inward investment, energy sector projects, maritime development, logistics expansion and high skilled industrial employment.

At a time when other regions are receiving targeted economic support and strategic investment mechanisms, Northern Ireland continues to fall behind.

If Stormont parties repeatedly claim they are committed to ‘making Northern Ireland work’, then the question must now be asked - where is Northern Ireland’s share of the economic opportunities being delivered across the rest of the UK?

All parties represented in Stormont should be jointly demanding equal economic treatment, equal Investment opportunities and inclusion in UK-wide industrial and infrastructure strategies.

Northern Ireland cannot afford to remain outside a programme that is already reshaping regional economies across Great Britain.

William Mitchell, Lisburn