Finance minister visits Mid Ulster businesses

Finance Minister Conor Murphy visited a social enterprise in Draperstown and an engineering firm in Dungannon this week to discuss the challenges they are facing in the current economic climate.

The Minister met with representatives from Workspace in Draperstown to hear how replacement for European funding is vital to their survival. Minister Murphy said: “Social enterprises are vitally important to a local community and Workspace provides a range of services and projects which people here depend on.

“The loss of European funding and the uncertainty about the future of the work Workspace and other social enterprises currently carry out must be resolved. I will continue to press the British government for EU funding to be replaced in full. We have lost £65 million each year from the Executive’s budget and what little replacement funding there is will be managed directly by Whitehall. We must be able to make local decisions so that the funding will go where it is needed most.”

Conor Murphy also highlighted changes in public procurement and hopes the new social value clause will encourage more third sector organisations to tender for government contracts. “The new Social Value policy is already making a positive difference to people and the environment. It encourages more social enterprises to become part of the public sector supply chain by either bidding directly for or by entering into partnerships with private sector organisations to delivery social value requirements.”

Minister Murphy also visited DMAC Engineering in Dungannon, taking a tour of the factory.

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