No comment from Sinn Fein economy minister on whether she supports Bank of America investment
A member of Stormont’s economy committee has questioned why minister Caoimhe Archibald has yet to comment on a major investment by a US bank – over a week after it was announced.
The Sinn Fein minister did not respond to a question put to her department about whether she welcomed an announcement from Bank of America (BoA) that it would create 1000 jobs in Northern Ireland.
DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley says the situation is “beyond ridiculous” – and has asked what Sinn Fein “dislike” about the investment.
The jobs boost has been welcomed by the DUP, and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly met with senior Bank of America figures at Stormont on Tuesday. However, Michelle O’Neill did not attend the meeting.
Sinn Fein did not respond when asked why it didn’t attend, and whether their absence is related to the party's stance on the Gaza conflict.
The financial institution has faced criticism from left wing and pro-Palestine groups over its relationship with Israel during the ongoing war between the country and terror group Hamas.
On Thursday, the News Letter asked the Department for Economy if minister Caoimhe Archibald welcomes the recent jobs announcement, and if she intends to meet with BoA to discuss their investment. This newspaper also asked why she did not meet with the bank during a visit to Stormont this week. The department did not respond.
Mr Buckley said SF “have been exposed” on the matter.
“They want to portray themselves to the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland as ‘responsible custodians of their respective economies’, yet they cannot even bring themselves to welcome much-needed investment in Northern Ireland from Bank of America.
“This is beyond ridiculous. The truth is being dragged out of them slowly, under pressure from journalists’ questions and political scrutiny. They are trying to take the people for fools.
“You would think the Sinn Féin Economy Minister, eager for positive investment stories in Northern Ireland and keen to demonstrate delivery, would be shouting about any form of investment from the rooftops. Yet all we have had is silence. Sinn Féin will have to answer: what is it about Bank of America’s investment that they dislike? And are there other potential investments that have failed to meet their approval and been lost to the Northern Ireland economy? The questions keep coming”, he said.