Invest NI boss says Nw bias claims are baseless

INVEST NI boss Alastair Hamilton says a claim by Londonderry MLA Colum Eastwood that the agency “negatively discriminates” against the North West is both “unfounded and inflammatory.”

He said Invest NI doesn’t “positively or negatively discriminate in favour of one area.”

“Between 2007 and 2012, across Londonderry, Limavady, Coleraine and Strabane council areas Invest NI made over 1,900 offers totalling £69.7m of support to local and external companies. This resulted in almost 3,500 new and safe-guarded jobs and over £250m of investment commitments.

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“We have also invested over £5.5m in supporting council initiatives in the north west under the local Economic Development measures, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund,” claimed Mr Hamilton.

He was responding to the local SDLP representatives statement that: “For far too long Derry and the north west generally has been negatively discriminated against, so a bit of positive discrimination would not go amiss now. Derry has a good story to tell but the message is not reaching the potential investors and that is down to a lack of obvious promotion from Invest NI.”

The enterprise chief, who is charged with promoting direct investment here, said: “We continue to work proactively with Councils in the north west and very specifically, Derry City Council, to support them in the development of their sales pitch to potential investors. Invest NI is fully committed to supporting the successful implementation of the regeneration plan (One Plan) for the city region and continues to work closely with all stakeholders to do this.”

Mr Hamilton referred to a recent networking event in the Guildhall in London promoting business opportunities in the North West, which was attended by 400.

He said Invest NI is proactively following up enquiries from that event.